American League East rivals New York and Baltimore have expressed “sincere” interest in acquiring Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported.
The Dodgers, Cardinals and Red Sox are also “in the mix” for Cease, one of the most popular names on the trade market this offseason, according to Rosenthal.
Last season, the White Sox were largely a disappointment in manager Pedro Grifol’s first season at the helm. They finished fourth in the AL Central with a 61-101 record and overhauled the front office in August, firing general manager Rick Hahn and executive vice president Kenny Williams and bringing in Chris Getz as VP and GM.
Trading Cease would be a key first step in a rebuild and allow Getz to start creating his own team from the ground up.
The 28-year-old right-hander is coming off of one of the worst seasons of his career. Cease went 7-9 in 33 starts, recording a 4.58 ERA and 1.418 WHIP and leading the league with 14 wild pitches. Despite his struggles last season, Cease is just one year removed from finishing second in American League Cy Young voting.
Another reason teams are willing to gamble on Cease despite last season’s struggles is his contract status. He has two more years of team control before entering free agency. It is rare that a pitcher with Cy Young potential becomes available while still on his first contract.
The White Sox should be able to get a significant prospect haul for Cease. During last season’s trade deadline, they reportedly asked the Red Sox for 24-year-old starter Brayan Bello, one of the top young pitchers in the league.
After missing out on Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Yankees are desperately looking to improve their rotation. They’ve also been linked to reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and World Series champion Jordan Montgomery.
The Orioles should also be in win-now mode after a 101-win season. With young, controllable talent at almost every position, starting pitching is one area they can look to improve either via trade or free agency. Cease would provide Baltimore with a potential ace, something that could push them over the top and make them a favorite to win the American League.
With free-agent starters Snell and Montgomery still unsigned, Cease is becoming an increasingly attractive option for teams looking to improve their rotation.
