Cease Fire: Padres Trade Prediction Has Dylan Cease Joining…
For those at home who are keeping track of starting pitching moves this winter, go ahead and cross off Max Fried, Blake Snell, and Garrett Crochet. Corbin Burnes might be on deck.
But could Dylan Cease be in the hole?
No, Cease is not a free agent but Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report believes he could be a trade target.
The Padres don’t necessarily want to trade Cease after acquiring him during spring training in a blockbuster exchange with the Chicago White Sox but they San Diego is trying to cut payroll.
Rymer cites Dennis Lin of The Athletic for mentioned that the Padres are reportedly listening in on offers for the Cease.
“Said value can only go so high because of Cease’s circumstances for 2025,” Rymer wrote. “He’s projected to earn $13.7 million, after which he’ll be eligible for free agency. As such, he’s a semi-expensive rental.”
Cease’s resumé speaks for itself and Rymer thinks he would be a good fit for the Cleveland Guardians.
“Cease was the runner-up in the 2022 AL Cy Young Award voting and he finished fourth in the NL voting this year,” Rymer said. “His ERA for the last four seasons is a sturdy 3.52, and it comes with 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings. His pure stuff is among the best in the sport.
“If not for an established star, the Padres could probably swap Cease for a top-level prospect or two. Either way, they could use a trade to try to improve at catcher or in the outfield.”
Cease delivered a strong performance in 2024, posting a 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA. Over 189.1 innings, he allowed 137 hits and tallied 224 strikeouts. His impressive season earned him a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting.
The 28-year-old made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2019 and quickly developed into one of the game’s most dominant pitchers. In 2022, Cease posted a stellar 14-8 record with a 2.20 ERA, striking out 227 batters over 184 innings. His exceptional performance earned him a second-place finish in the AL Cy Young race.
