Metropolitan Makeover! Mets Land $14 Million Star in Blockbuster Trade with Padres
The San Diego Padres have had a frustrating offseason, to say the least.
An ownership lawsuit ‘hanging over’ the franchise, a clear attempt to shed payroll, countless free agents making their way to different ball clubs and fans hopelessly watching it unfold is grounds for significant disappointment from the Friar Faithful.
A way to salvage the abysmal offseason would be by calling up opposing teams and making some trades.
The trade block can be a saving grace for the Padres as this can bring in new talent to a 93-win roster, while also shedding payroll and satisfying organizational needs.
San Diego has reportedly been dangling core talent all winter long with no deals in sight, but as Spring Training is right around the corner and teams get hungrier to improve their rosters, the time may be coming for a deal to be struck.
At least that is the case with former New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles general manager Jim Duquette as he shared on Mets Hot Stove recently regarding a deal for Padres standout first-year pitcher Dylan Cease.
Duquette’s trade proposal looked something like this:
Mets Receive: Dylan Cease
Padres Receive: Tylor Megill, Jett Williams, Ronald Hernández
Megill is a right-handed pitcher who just finished 2024 with his lowest ERA at 4.04 and would immediately fill the Dylan Cease-sized hole in the Padres rotation.
Williams, an infielder who is the Mets No. 1 prospect, could make the jump to MLB at just 21 years old and be the starting second baseman for the future, although he also has avid experience in the offseason.
Hernández can be an interesting piece as he is the Mets No. 26 ranked prospect and could potentially be an everyday catcher for the Padres.
This deal would be tough to pull off given Cease’s expiring contract, but if the Padres don’t end up moving the 29-year-old, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.
Cease is coming off a year with his lowest ERA since 2022 (3.47), his most innings pitched in his career (189.1), 224 strikeouts, and only 65 walks. He finished fourth in Cy Young award voting and tied his career high in wins with 14.
