MLB Network's Jon Morosi reports that the San Diego Padres are unlikely to trade right-hander Dylan Cease before the start of the 2025 season, despite the fact that he's scheduled to be a free agent after this year. "I just do not think we are going to see a Dylan Cease trade that rescues the Yankees season," Morosi said in response to the fact that Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (elbow) will have season-ending Tommy John surgery. Not only are the Yankees hesitant to add to their payroll at the moment, but they would also be hesitant to give up top prospects such as Jasson Dominguez and Will Warren, who they will be counting on at the major-league level in 2025. The Padres could change their tune on Cease closer to this summer's trade deadline if the Padres are well out of contention, but for now, he appears primed to continue on as SD's ace. Cease's strikeout upside makes him a low-end No. 1/high-end No. 2 fantasy starter.
Dylan Cease To Make Cactus League Debut On Saturday
San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease will make his Cactus League debut on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Cease was the subject of trade rumors in the offseason as he heads into the final year of his contract, and although it appears the 29-year-old will stick with the Friars to begin the 2025 regular season, he could get moved closer to the deadline this summer. In his first year with the Padres in 2024 after being acquired in a trade from the Chicago White Sox, Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA (3.10 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 65 walks in 189 1/3 innings over 33 starts in the regular season. He has now fanned 200-plus hitters in four straight seasons and also had a career-best 8.5 percent walk rate last year. The ace of San Diego's staff should be viewed as a low-end fantasy ace/high-end No. 2 in 2025.
The Athletic's Dennis Lin writes that the San Diego Padres' four-year, $55 million deal with right-hander Nick Pivetta could increase the chances that the team retains right-hander Dylan Case, at least through the end of spring training. Team and league sources indicated on Wednesday that the Padres are currently inclined to hang on to Cease, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season. Another team could still overwhelm the Padres with a trade offer for Cease, but as things stand now, closer Robert Suarez is much more likely to be traded. Suarez is owed $10 million this year and can opt out after the season. The Padres, who are still looking to trim payroll, think they could still have an effective bullpen if they traded Suarez. But with Joe Musgrove (elbow) out for all of 2025, their need for another proven starting pitcher was much more urgent, which is why they added Pivetta on Wednesday night.
According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets are unlikely to trade for San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease. Sammon noted that the Padres are looking for major-league talent along with prospects that the Mets may not want to part with. Last offseason, when the Padres traded Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, they acquired major-league talent such as Michael King and other prospects. While Cease will not warrant a package like Soto did, the Mets are unlikely to pay the cost to acquire the ace. The Mets may have to part ways with one of Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams, or Ronny Mauricio in a potential deal. Throughout the offseason, the Mets have made several improvements to their starting rotation, as they have brought in Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas and resigned left-hander Sean Manaea, who was their top arm down the stretch. The Mets will also welcome back a healthy Kodai Senga to operate as the top option in the rotation.
MLB Network's Jon Morosi reports that a team to watch in regards to San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, who is on the trade market this offseason, is the Chicago Cubs. Both Cease and right-hander Michael King are on the trade block with the Padres facing payroll constraints in 2025, and Morosi goes on to say that Cease is more likely to be moved than King because Cease makes more money. The Cubs make plenty of sense as a trade partner for the Padres because they have seven of MLB Pipeline's top-100 prospects, with six of them expected to make an impact at the big-league level this year. With Jurickson Profar recently departing via free agency, the Padres have a hole to fill in left field, so a trade of either Cease or King could bring back an outfielder that could fill that hole immediately. Morosi specifically mentions Owen Caissie as a possibility for the Friars.
Mets Showing Interest In Dylan Cease, Michael King
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the New York Mets have shown interest in acquiring San Diego Padres starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King. Ragazzo noted the Atlanta Braves have also had discussions with San Diego. Both pitchers would likely be one-year rentals but would still carry a hefty price tag on the trade market. Earlier this offseason, the Mets re-signed Sean Manaea and brought in Frankie Montas and Clarke Schmidt to take back-end roles in the rotation. However, with the team eyeing to compete in 2025, they would like to further bolster their rotation. Last season, Cease posted a 3.47 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with 224 punchouts across 189 1/3 innings. King transitioned into a starter role last summer and performed well with a 2.95 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 201 punchouts across 173 2/3 frames of work.
Dylan Cease, Michael King Remain On The Trade Market
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that one of the reasons the free-agent market remains clogged in late January is that names like San Diego Padres right-handers Dylan Cease and Michael King are among the starting pitchers available on the trade market. An arbitration hearing for King remains likely after he asked for $8.8 million, with the Padres offering $7.325 million. The best free-agent starters on the market this offseason have already found homes in Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, but Jack Flaherty and Nick Pivetta are still available. In addition to Cease and King, Seattle Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo remains available for trade as the M's look to boost their offense. Regardless of where they are pitching in 2025, both Cease and King should be considered low-end SP2 options for fantasy managers.
Right-hander Dylan Cease and the San Diego Padres avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $13.75 million deal. The figure represents a raise of nearly $6 million in what is Cease's final year of arbitration. In his first year in San Diego after the Padres acquired him in a trade from the Chicago White Sox before the 2024 season, the 29-year-old had a strong campaign with a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 65 walks in 189 1/3 innings. Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals and was the team's ace for a large portion of the year. His 29.4% strikeout rate was fifth-best among qualified pitchers, and he paired it with a career-low 8.5% walk rate. Cease will enter his second year with the Friars as their ace, but with just one more year left on his deal, he could become a popular trade candidate during the summer, depending on SD's place in the standings.
The Baltimore Orioles are in the market for pitching help as it seems less and less likely that free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes will be returning to the team in 2025, so the O's are reportedly interested in acquiring the Padres' Dylan Cease. The 28-year-old is set to become a free agent in 2026 and the Padres may be willing to trade him if they think they won't be able to re-sign him after next season. The righty finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting last season and was the AL runner-up in 2022. The former sixth-round draft pick threw a no-hitter for San Diego last season and remarkably allowed just one hit on five other occasions where he pitched at least six innings. The six-year veteran will be a strong fantasy option in 2025 drafts regardless of where he ends up.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease is listed as the team's starting pitcher for Wednesday's National League Division Series Game 4 against the Dodgers. The 28-year-old, who pitched 3 1/3 innings on Saturday in Game 1 of the series, will get the nod ahead of his typical schedule with Joe Musgrove (elbow) needing Tommy John surgery and the Padres up 2-1 in the series. While Cease had solid regular-season stats, he got hit around by the Dodgers in game 1, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He may rise to the occasion in a series-clinching game, but Cease's previous performance and lack of regular rest make him an uneasy DFS play.
Dylan Cease
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Padres
