San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease exited his start early on Wednesday night against the New York Yankees after losing a no-hit bid in the seventh inning. Cease left the game alongside a team trainer after appearing to experience discomfort following a dominant stretch.
The right-hander held the Yankees hitless through 6 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium. The no-hit effort ended when Cody Bellinger hit a game-tying home run, making the score 1-1 in the seventh.
After striking out the batter following Bellinger, Cease threw three pitches to Jasson DomĂnguez before the Padres' head athletic trainer, manager Mike Shildt, and pitching coach Ruben Niebla visited the mound. Cease was seen flexing his right forearm both on the mound and in the dugout.
Despite appearing to indicate he could continue, Cease was removed from the game. Right-hander Jason Adam replaced him out of the bullpen. The club has not provided a specific update on the nature of the potential injury.
Cease finished his outing having thrown 6 2/3 innings. He allowed only the Bellinger home run as a hit, struck out nine batters, and walked two. The performance marked a departure from his 5.61 ERA entering the contest.
A season ago, Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals, joining Joe Musgrove as the only pitchers in Padres franchise history to achieve the feat. Cease has also been a pitcher known for durability, having made at least 32 starts in each of the past four seasons.
The outcome of games like this factors into the broader MLB Standings, influencing playoff races throughout baseball. Teams across all divisions, including contenders and others near the bottom of the NL East Standings or elsewhere, analyze pitching depth and health closely as it affects performance over a long season.
Cease's effectiveness and health are important for the Padres as they compete in the National League West.
