Dylan Cease #84 of the San Diego Padres
The Chicago Cubs have been one of the more active teams in the trade market this offseason. After trading away Cody Bellinger, they made major acquisitions in Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly. However, could president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer have one more move up his sleeve? San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease could be a prime target.
Cease, who spent the first five seasons of his career with the Chicago White Sox, landed in San Diego for the 2024 campaign and rebounded from a down year in 2023. He posted a 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 224 strikeouts over 189 1/3 innings, making him an attractive option for teams in need of a frontline starter.
If the Cubs were to make a push for Cease, what might a trade package look like? Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer recently proposed a hypothetical deal:
Cubs receive: RHP Dylan Cease
Padres receive: C Moises Ballesteros, OF Kevin Alcántara
“Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, and Jameson Taillon form a strong front three in the rotation, with Matthew Boyd and Javier Assad filling out the back end,” Rymer wrote. “Yet, Cubs ownership is hearing from fans that the team hasn’t done enough to solidify itself as a true contender. They’re not wrong, and it’s worth noting that this team lacked swing-and-miss ability from its starters in 2024.”
MLB.com ranks Ballesteros as the Cubs’ No. 4 prospect and Alcántara at No. 6, making them valuable trade chips. Cease is set to earn $13.75 million in 2024 before reaching free agency next offseason, with Spotrac projecting his market value at five years and $109 million.
With spring training approaching, it remains to be seen whether Hoyer and the Cubs will make another splash. Adding Cease would further bolster Chicago’s rotation and send a clear message that they’re all in for 2025.
