Dylan Cease does not believe John Schneider should take the fall for the Toronto Blue Jays' disappointing 2026 season.

Toronto was officially eliminated from postseason contention Wednesday, ending any hope of returning to the World Series after capturing the American League pennant last season. Despite how things unfolded in 2026, Cease wants Schneider back in the Blue Jays dugout next year.

“We all have great relationships and great respect for him,” Cease said in an interview conducted in collaboration with Casino.org/Canada. “I think his decision-making is really solid. I think he keeps everything nice and steady and calm. And I very much enjoy playing for him and hope it continues that way.”

Cease was captivated by how Schneider handled everything that went wrong throughout a frustrating season.

“The biggest thing that I've been impressed with is just how even-keeled he's been and how calm he's been even with the issues he's had to deal with during the season,” Cease said. “I think that says a lot about his character. I think that's a sign of good leadership.”

Toronto certainly gave Schneider plenty to deal with. The Blue Jays battled injuries throughout the roster and never found enough consistency offensively to replicate last year's World Series run. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s stunning lack of power was among the biggest problems, with Toronto's superstar not even hitting his first home run at Rogers Centre until September.

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Still, Cease believes the foundation remains strong.

“I love Toronto. I'm locked in here, and I have zero regrets about it,” Cease said. “I love being a part of this team and this organization.”

Cease certainly did his part after signing a seven-year, $210 million contract with Toronto last offseason. The right-hander finished 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA and an American League-leading 239 strikeouts across 169 innings before a shoulder issue ended his season.

The Blue Jays will need considerably more from Guerrero and the rest of their offense in 2027, but a bounce-back season isn't difficult to envision. Pair a potential Guerrero power resurgence with another Cy Young-caliber campaign from Cease, and Toronto could quickly reenter the AL East conversation.

“I feel like I'm committed to this organization no matter what. I'm not here to second-guess anything. I'm not here to throw blame. I'm a soldier for Toronto, so go put me out there, and I'll do what I've got to do.”