Dylan Cease and Jackson Chourio: Keys to Second Half Success

Dylan Cease and Jackson Chourio walked into the 2025 MLB season with big expectations. Both have hit some bumps in the first half.

Cease’s ERA is higher than fans hoped, even though some of his deeper numbers look promising. Chourio, meanwhile, is stuck in a sophomore slump—his plate approach just isn’t clicking, and everyone’s noticed.

Dylan Cease: Digging Underneath the Surface Stats

Cease has always been known for racking up strikeouts, but this year, those Ks aren’t stopping runs like they should. His 4.64 ERA at the break really jumps out, especially when you see his Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) sits at 3.49.

That gap hints at some bad luck, or maybe something deeper. It’s not the first time Cease’s results have been at odds with his underlying numbers.

The Role of Pitch Tunneling in Cease’s Struggles

One big issue for Cease has been the drop-off in his pitch tunneling. Basically, his pitches aren’t fooling hitters the way they used to.

When different pitches look too different out of his hand, hitters start picking them up early. That’s been a recipe for trouble, and it’s shown up in his ERA before.

This season, his slider and four-seamer just aren’t syncing up in their paths. Hitters can see what’s coming, and that’s never good for a pitcher.

It gets worse: Cease’s hard-hit rate is a career-worst 42%, and his barrel rate is up to 9.9%. Hitters aren’t just making contact—they’re squaring him up.

Righties are jumping on his predictable first-pitch mix. Lefties are even getting to him when he’s ahead in the count. Again, tunneling—or the lack of it—seems to be the common thread.

• **Strikeout Rate:** 30%—that’s still elite, even if it’s not fixing everything.
• **Walk Rate:** 8%—not giving out too many free passes.
• **Hard-Hit Rate:** 42%, which is a problem.
• **Solution:** He needs to tighten up that pitch tunneling and get back to deceiving hitters.

If Cease can sharpen his tunneling and keep missing bats, he’s got a real shot to turn things around. That’s the hope, anyway.

Jackson Chourio: Sophomore Slump or Adjusting Period?

Jackson Chourio’s second MLB season hasn’t matched the promise of his rookie year. His .757 OPS and 20% strikeout rate show he’s been up and down at the plate.

Chourio still flashes talent, but his aggressive approach cuts both ways. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and lately, it’s been more of the latter.

How Plate Discipline is Holding Chourio Back

Chourio loves to attack the first pitch. When he connects early, the results look great.

But when he falls behind in the count, his decision-making just isn’t there. He ends up with too many weak at-bats and a walk rate that sits at just 4%.

He does much better when he’s ahead in the count, especially against fastballs. The problem? He rarely gets himself into those good counts, because he’s so eager to swing early.

• **OPS:** .757—not quite what fans wanted in year two.
• **Strikeout Rate:** 20%—shows he’s having trouble making consistent contact.
• **Walk Rate:** 4%, which just isn’t enough patience.
• **Solution:** He needs to make better choices when he’s behind in the count.

Chourio doesn’t need to become passive at the plate. He just needs to adjust his approach when he’s behind, so he can fight his way back into at-bats and really show what he can do.

The Road to Redemption

Dylan Cease and Jackson Chourio have both faced their share of adversity in 2025. Still, they’re valuable pieces with plenty of upside left.

Cease needs to sharpen his pitch tunneling, making his stuff tougher for hitters to read. Chourio, on the other hand, could benefit from smarter at-bats, especially when he’s behind in the count.

Baseball’s grind drags on through the dog days of summer. Both players will get plenty of coaching focused on these weak spots.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Can Dylan Cease, Jackson Chourio improve in the second half? What’s holding them back?