Baseball often makes no goddamn sense - watch the Sox come alive and beat up on Cole when normally this season they haven't even been able to handle AAA pitchers.
I don't think this will actually happen but its fun to dream about.
Yet his FIP, K/BB and other peripherals were all leagues better and showcased progress in 2021, and we are seeing more progress in 2022. Are you going to try to argue that Cease is no better than he was in 2020 because he had a bad game? Come on.