As the starting pitching market begins to take shape, Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox continues to be a popular trade target for teams looking to bolster their rotation.
Cease drew interest at this year’s trade deadline but ultimately remained with the White Sox. However, the team now faces the prospect of a rebuild and appears open to dealing their ace.
With discussions ongoing for the right-hander, those talks have recently intensified over the past two days and a deal could be completed before the Winter Meetings begin on December 4, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network:
Sources: Dylan Cease trade talks have intensified in the last 48 hours, and some people close to the negotiations believe a deal *before* the winter meetings is increasingly possible.
Cease’s hometown Braves are among the finalists. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 29, 2023
While a slew of clubs have reached out to the White Sox about Cease’s availability, the Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly making the strongest effort to acquire him, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic:
“More than a dozen teams have inquired on Cease, with the Dodgers among the most aggressive, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale and others have reported.”
It was previously reported that the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves were among the teams with interest in Cease. Both clubs want to add a frontline starter this offseason and pursued Aaron Nola before he re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Cease enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, when he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and finished second for the American League Cy Young Award. However, the 27-year-old regressed this year as he finished just 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA, 3.72 FIP and 1.42 WHIP.
Cease was hurt by a struggling White Sox defense that ranked the worst in baseball. Though, command remains an issue as his 259 walks are the most in the AL since the 2020 season.
Cease is under team control through 2025 by way of salary arbitration. Thus, any team that acquires Cease would have him in their rotation for at least two full seasons.
Dylan Cease among starting pitchers linked to Dodgers
Cease is one of several top-tier starting pitchers who have been linked to the Dodgers in recent weeks. In terms of trade candidates, the Dodgers have also shown interest in Shane Bieber, Corbin Burnes and Tyler Glasnow.
As for free agents, L.A. has been connected to Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Lucas Giolito, among others.
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