Dylan Cease was sensational for the Chicago White Sox in 2022. He came into the year expecting to take the next step in his development which he did and then some. Cease was truly one of the best pitchers in the entire league all season long.
On Wednesday, it came out that Justin Verlander is the winner of the 2022 American League Cy Young Award. He was the only American League pitcher that was better than Cease all season long. It is just another great thing to add to his Hall of Fame resume.
Cease came in second place for the award which is really nice for his breakout year. It is an amazing accomplishment to finish so high in the voting. He should be very proud of the season that he was able to put together.
He finished the year with a 2.20 ERA, 1.109 WHIP, 227 strikeouts, and a WAR of 6.4. All of this came in 184.0 innings over 32 starts. He was the only White Sox pitcher to make all 32 starts which is saying something too because this team was often so injured.
Dylan Cease was incredible for the Chicago White Sox during the year.
This was a very bad season for the White Sox. They were expected to compete for the American League crown but they were a very average 81-81 team. Cease was one of the few bright spots on the team every time he went out.
We all remember his streak of giving up one run or less which was probably the most exciting part of the season. All year long, the White Sox were must-see TV when he was on the mound. He even flirted with a no-hitter late in the season but came one out short.
Looking back, it is still stunning that Cease wasn't an American League All-Star. He was so clearly one of the best pitchers in the league at that point but he was left off. He was even better in the second half so he clearly took note that he was snubbed.
He will certainly come out strong in 2023. Coming in second place will likely motivate him to try and win it over the next couple of years.
He will probably be the Opening Day starter in March as he tries to lead this team back into the MLB postseason. Hopefully, he inspires the rest of the pitchers on this staff as they could take steps just as he has.