Veteran White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease has been traded to the San Diego Padres in a five-player deal. The trade comes after a winter of speculation surrounding Cease's future with the team.
The Padres acquired Cease in exchange for a package of prospects that includes Samuel Zavala, Steven Wilson, Drew Thorpe, and Jairo Iriarte. Cease, a 28-year-old ace, led the American League with 33 starts last season but was unable to lift his team to a higher standing in the Central Division.
Despite his team's struggles, Cease put up impressive numbers, boasting a 2.16 earned run average and striking out 14 batters in 8 1/3 innings pitched this spring. Over his five-year tenure with the White Sox, Cease has accumulated a 43-35 record, a 3.83 ERA, and an average of 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
In his best season in 2022, Cease went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA for the White Sox. He now joins a San Diego pitching staff that has undergone significant changes, losing key players like Blake Snell, Michael Wacha, and Josh Hader.
The Padres' rotation for the upcoming season is expected to feature Cease alongside Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Michael King, and Randy Vasquez. The team will look to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season and close the gap in the standings, particularly against the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cease, who is represented by super-agent Scott Boras, will be under team control for the next two seasons before becoming eligible for free agency. He is set to earn $8,000,000 from the Padres this season and will have the opportunity to showcase his skills in the National League.
The trade marks another move in the White Sox's rebuilding efforts, as the team looks to acquire young talent for its future. Meanwhile, the Padres, with a payroll ranking 14th in the league, continue to make strategic roster changes in pursuit of success.
