Dylan Cease was outstanding in July

Toronto Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease capped off July in style by holding the St. Louis Cardinals to just one run over six innings on the mound. The Jays won 3-1 and, as August begins this morning, remain firmly in the thick of the race for the best second-place finish.

Over the past month, Cease has been on fire, holding opposing lineups to just one run per game. As a result, he's positioned himself at the very top of the list of potential Cy Young Award winners in the American League, alongside Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees.

In 2026, Cease has proven to be one of the Blue Jays' top acquisitions by management—though Kazuma Okamoto certainly deserves a mention as well. Together, they've been reliable assets the team has been able to count on consistently.

Louis Varland, who recorded his 24th save for the team yesterday, is also one of the reasons the team can still see the light at the end of the tunnel despite a losing record.

Yes, the Toronto team still has a lot of work to do to make the playoffs, but the task isn't impossible in and of itself. John Schneider's men will have to overtake several teams to achieve their goal. The four-and-a-half-game deficit isn't insurmountable.

However, we should expect the team to make some trades at the deadline.

In addition to Cease's stellar performance on the mound (he allowed three hits while striking out seven batters), the Jays were able to count on Luis Urías's clutch play, who secured the win for his team with a big hit as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, breaking a 1-1 tie.

This win—their 51st of the season—combined with the Cleveland Guardians' loss, is a huge boost, but the Jays can't rest on their laurels after this victory over the Cardinals; they need to keep the momentum going starting today as they aim to win their second series in a row.

Kevin Gausman, whom many expect to leave the team at the trade deadline, will take the mound. He'll face Quinn Mathews for the Cards. This start will be a great opportunity for veteran Gausman to put a positive spin on what has been a rather difficult season. While the past month has been spectacular for Dylan Cease, it's been quite the opposite for Gausman.

Also worth noting was catcher Brandon Valenzuela's strong offensive performance in this game. The Blue Jays' No. 59 recorded three hits in four at-bats—a solid showing from the young player. Kazuma Okamoto drove in the team's other run.

The Blue Jays won't have much wiggle room from here on out, and every win will be crucial. The coming days will also reveal whether the team will seek reinforcements or let go of some current roster players in order to stock up on young talent for the years ahead.

• The Twins continue to make moves.

• Contract extension in Baltimore.

• An excellent first game in the Majors.

• Big month for the Red Sox.

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