MLB Trade Rumors: 3 Trade Destinations for Dylan Cease

Dylan Cease was acquired by the San Diego Padres for the 2024 season, and he was back to being a Cy Young contender, finishing 4th in the balloting after a 2nd place finish two years earlier. He posted a 3.47 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with a 224:65 strikeout to walk ratio in 189.1 innings in a major league leading 33 starts.

2025 will be his final year of team control, with an estimated salary of about $13 million coming his way. Would the Padres look to trade him? His name has certainly been bandied about plenty on the rumor mill. San Diego is open to listening to offers on some of their better players, and Cease has certainly garnered interest from several teams.

If the Friars do surprisingly trade Cease, here are three teams that could be likely destinations:

Atlanta Braves

The Braves have lost Max Fried, and potentially Charlie Morton from their 2024 rotation. Spencer Strider, who underwent an internal brace procedure on his elbow in April, is expected to return early in the season, but it's unknown how long it'll take him to get to full strength. Atlanta would be well-advised to land another elite starter, and perhaps Cease makes sense.

Chicago Cubs

MLB Network Radio's Steve Phillips, former GM, says "Dylan Cease to the Cubs would make me pick the Cubs to win the division. I would think that that (would) you start looking at the Cubs in a different way."

He figures adding him to a rotation that already boasts Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon would give them a very strong staff. Then add in their trade for young superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker, and 2025 is looking mighty bright at Wrigley.

Baltimore Orioles

If the O's lose their ace Corbin Burnes in free agency, and with the price he seems to be commanding, it sure sounds like it, then a trade for Cease would be a nice fallback for Baltimore. They obviously have the prospects to make it work.