Dylan Cease Bolsters His Resume In Cy Young Race

On Tuesday, the MLB announced that Dylan Cease had been named American League Pitcher of the Month for July. Cease became the first White Sox player since Jose Contreras to be named Pitcher of the Month in consecutive months after also taking home the honor in June. Jose Contreas accomplished the feat by winning it in September 2005 and April 2006. However, Cease is the only player in franchise history to win the award in back-to-back months in the same season. After a surprising omission from the All-Star team, Cease has been on the warpath. In his last outing against the Oakland Athletics, the right-hander chucked six innings of one-run ball and struck out seven. He lowered his season ERA to 2.01 and notched his 161st strikeout of the season. He trails only Garrit Cole for the MLB lead in that department. Cease has emerged as the White Sox most reliable starter this season. Consistency is something he has strived for after a rocky first couple of seasons in the big leagues. "I want to be consistent," Cease told reporters after his start against Oakland on July 31st. "I want to be someone you can count on. So,to give us a chance to win almost every time, it's as much as I can ask for."

The numbers he has put up over the last two months have been truly remarkable. The 26-year-old posted a 5-1 record with 40 strikeouts and a 0.76 ERA during six starts in July. Opponents could only muster 24 hits and three home runs in 35 2/3 innings against him. During a dominant stretch of outings from May 29th to July 31st, Cease established himself as just one of two pitchers since 1913 to make 12 consecutive starts with one earned run or less allowed.  The only other Pitcher to match that mark was Jacob deDrom in 2021. Cease also joined deGrom as only one of three starters since 1913 to allow a combined four earned runs or less in a 12-start span. Jake Arrieta did it during his Cy Young winning season in 2015. The Georgia native placed himself in some Hall of Fame company when he became just the third pitcher in MLB history to toss nine consecutive starts of five-plus innings and allow one run or less. Bob Gibson did it during the 1968 season, while Jack Coombs did it 58 years prior to Ginson in 1910. The consecutive Pitcher of the Month honors has put Cease in a great position to compete for the Cy Young Award. If he were to win, he would be just the 18th pitcher in MLB history to take home the honor after not being named an All-Star.