Dylan Cease trade to the San Diego Padres is reportedly being finalized

The San Diego Padres have reportedly strengthened their starting pitching rotation by acquiring Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox. This trade, first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan shortly after the Padres’ Cactus League game against the Oakland A’s, is said to be in the final stages of completion. However, neither the Padres nor the White Sox have officially confirmed the trade as of now.

BREAKING: The San Diego Padres are finalizing a trade to acquire right-hander Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 13, 2024

Cease, aged 28, was the runner-up for the AL Cy Young award in 2022 but experienced a downturn in performance last year. Following a stellar 2.20 ERA in the preceding season, his ERA rose to 4.58 in the most recent campaign. Despite this, Cease is widely regarded as a top-tier starting pitcher and one of the premier strikeout artists in baseball, boasting at least 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings in four of his first five seasons.

With Cease under team control for this season and the next, earning a salary of $8 million in 2024, he is expected to slot in as the Padres’ third starting pitcher behind Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove.

As for the players the Padres are sending to Chicago in exchange for Cease, details remain undisclosed at this time.