Cease shines as Blue Jays blank Angels 2-0 to end four-game losing streak

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) works against the Los Angeles Angels during first inning MLB baseball action in Toronto on Friday, May 8, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Dylan Cease had 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings as the Toronto Blue Jays ended a four-game losing skid with a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday at Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays scored both runs in the third inning against Angels starter Reid Detmers (1-3).

That was enough run support for Cease (3-1), who retired the first nine Angels in order and allowed five hits in all.

Jeff Hoffman worked the eighth inning and Louis Varland closed it out for his fifth save.

Los Angeles (15-24) outhit Toronto 6-3. The Angels have dropped three of their last five games.

Toronto (17-21) entered play just a half-game ahead of last-place Boston in the American League East Division standings.

George Springer scored on a Kazuma Okamoto single to put a charge into the sellout crowd of 41,923. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. later scored with a nifty slide on an Ernie Clement sacrifice fly.

Okamoto showed off his defence in the fourth when he speared a liner by Mike Trout to set up a 5-4-3 double-play.

Cease didn’t walk a batter. He trimmed his earned-run average by nearly a half-run to 2.58.

Takeaways

Blue Jays: Outfielder Addison Barger (ankle) is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday. Meanwhile, right-hander Jose Berrios (elbow) is to meet with a specialist Tuesday to go over his recent MRI exam results.

Angels: Detmers battled control issues early but managed to avoid a big inning. He issued six walks over 3 2/3 innings and threw 56 of 99 pitches for strikes.

Key moment

Cease gave up a two-out double to Jo Adell in the seventh inning but struck out Josh Lowe to end the threat.

Key stat

At the start of the day, Cease led all qualified AL starters in strikeout rate (33.7 per cent) and whiff rate (36.9 per cent).

Coming Up

Trey Yesavage (1-1, 0.96 earned-run average) was scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday against fellow right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-1, 3.05).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press