ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) \u2014 Toronto\u2019s recruiting pitch excited Dylan Cease as much as his own tosses.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could tell they built a really impressive culture,\u201d Cease said during a news conference Tuesday, a week after finalizing a $210 million, seven-year contract<\/a>. \u201cAs they were explaining sort of what they do to get the best out of players or how they prepare, and even the little things like travel and whatnot, you can just tell that it\u2019s a buttoned-up organization. They want to win, and it was obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n After coming within two outs of their first World Series title since 1993<\/a>, the Blue Jays added the right-hander to a rotation projected to include Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and Jos\u00e9 Berr\u00edos.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve proven that they have championship-caliber players and obviously a good process. That was probably the number one thing,\u201d Cease said. \u201cAnd then from there, it was also how would they help me maximize and develop and basically reach my potential more often? That was important to me. That was probably the second-biggest consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n Toronto won the AL East this year for the first time since 2015<\/a>. Mark Shapiro left the Cleveland Indians to succeed Paul Beeston as team president after that season<\/a> and brought along Ross Atkins as general manager<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOver time as we went through some down years in the time that Mark and I were there, we poured into the resources that help players improve,\u201d Atkins said. \u201cAs that started to bubble up into wins, we then poured more money into resources around free agency and investing in players more long-term in a significant way.\u201d<\/p>\n Toronto headed off free agency for slugging first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. when it agreed in April to a $500 million, 14-year contract that starts next year<\/a>. <\/p>\n Cease\u2019s agent, Scott Boras, had dealt with Blue Jays chairman Edward Rogers last offseason when Toronto tried to sign Juan Soto.<\/p>\n \u201cThey listened to what players wanted in amenities, what players wanted in technology to help them improve, what players needed and wanted in the routines medically,\u201d Boras said. \u201cAnd the staffing for that was provided. The facilities are certainly in the player community held as best in class.\u201d<\/p>\n Cease had Gausman\u2019s telephone number and spoke with the pitcher.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I asked around, no one had any negatives to say about it,\u201d Cease said. \u201cThe consensus has been you\u2019re going to love the city, you\u2019re going to love the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n Cease, who turns 30 on Dec. 28, is 65-58 with a 3.88 ERA and 1,231 strikeouts in 188 starts over seven big league seasons. He went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts this year for San Diego, striking out 215 and walking 71 in 168 innings. His 29.8% strikeout rate was third-highest among qualified pitchers, behind Detroit\u2019s Tarik Skubal (32.2%) and Boston\u2019s Garrett Crochet (31.3%).<\/p>\n \u201cHe by no means needs to get better, but because of that athleticism and durability, the potential is there for him to continue on an incredible trajectory,\u201d Atkins said.<\/p>\n