Blockbuster of the Century! Padres Poised to Land $32 Million Ace Dylan Cease and Top Prospect in Jaw-Dropping Trade

The San Diego Padres are finally making noise this offseason.

The Padres are one of three finalists for Roki Sasaki, and are hoping he lands in San Diego in what would be the steal of the offseason.

While Padres fans anxiously await the Sasaki news, San Diego has only had some minor league deals and signings to avoid arbitration thus far. They will also potentially face their first arbitration case in over a decade.

Dylan Cease, one of the Padres who avoided arbitration, is still trade eligible.

Coming off his first year in San Diego, the 29-year-old right hander enjoyed a very successful 2024 campaign. He went 14-11 with an ERA of 3.47, over a full point lower than his final year with the Chicago White Sox when he finished the 2023 season with a 4.58 ERA.

In 189.1 innings pitched, a career-high for Cease, he had 224 strikeouts to just 65 walks. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was at 3.45, another career-high.

The budget-conscious Padres may want to sell high on Cease’s career year while they can gain depth, save money, and add a No. 2 prospect in this trade proposal from Bleacher Report’s Zachary Dymer.

“Toronto Blue Jays receive: Dylan Cease.

“San Diego Padres receive: Yariel Rodriguez and Ricky Tiedemann (Blue Jays’ No. 2 prospect).”

The Padres get two younger pitchers — one with major league experience, and one who is still a prospect.

Rodriguez is a 27-year-old right hander who also has professional experience in Korea, Japan, and Cuba. His first year MLB season was less than ideal, though.

He went 1-8 with a 4.47 ERA last season and a 2.13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his 86.2 innings pitched. He has a career ERA of 3.17, so the pitching coaches would have to work similar magic they used on Cease before the start of the 2024 season.

Financially, Rodriguez is also less than half as expensive as Cease is, as he is only due to make $6.4 million in 2025.

Tiedemann is a more interesting case.

With undeniable pitching talent as Toronto’s No. 2 prospect, the southpaw from Long Beach, CA is currently rehabbing Tommy John surgery. He is set to return in 2025, and get back to work with the Padres system.

Tiedemann had a 3.02 ERA with 226 strikeouts over 140 innings in the minor leagues prior to his injury, and is even reported to have gained significant muscle before needing his surgery.

If this ends up being an acquisition San Diego makes, they are sure to get a budget-friendly pitcher — and depending on how his recovery goes, their ace of the future.