Cease to the Phillies? Blockbuster Trade Idea Would Bring Padres Ace to Philly

The Philadelphia Phillies came away from the winter meetings pretty empty-handed.

After going into the annual event for Major League Baseball team and league executives with hopes of retooling for the 2025 season, the Phillies agreed to a $8.5 million deal for reliever Jordan Romano but failed to make any of the blockbuster additions fans might have been hoping for.

However, there’s still time to add an impact player or two before the 2025 season kicks off. Assessing some possibilities for FanSided, Christopher Kline floated a major trade idea that would bring San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease to Philly.

“The Phillies, in theory, have the wherewithal to trade for and pay Cease, especially if somebody like Alec Bohm or Nick Castellanos is tossed into a deal,” Kline wrote. “Philadelphia can also build a compelling offer around young pitching talent, with names like Andrew Painter and Mick Abel kicking around the farm system.”

Just one season after swinging their own blockbuster trade for Cease, the Padres could be looking to move him as he enters his final season of arbitration eligibility. After posting a 3.47 ERA in 33 starts and earning Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player Award votes for the 2024 season, though, a trade for Cease won’t be cheap.

“In a potential trade, they would seek multiple controllable players, the same kind of return they received for (Juan) Soto,” Dennis Lin reported for The Athletic. “One or more of those players, ideally, would be a starting pitcher.”

While Painter is one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball, he could be virtually untouchable. And Castellanos isn’t really “controllable,” as he has two more seasons at $20 million apiece ahead before becoming a free agent. But Abel might be the kind of pitching talent that entices the Padres and Bohm is facing two more years of arbitration eligibility.

With the cost of pitching rising this offseason, a trade for Cease might be out of the Phillies’ budget. But if he can be had at a relative discount as a one-year rental before free agency, he might be the kind of blockbuster roster boost that helps the Phillies realize their World Series aspirations.