The San Diego Padres made a significant move by acquiring right-hander Dylan Cease in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. Cease, who finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022, brings a strong track record to the Padres. In the previous season, he posted a 14-8 record with a 2.20 ERA. However, his performance dipped slightly in the following year, going 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA for the struggling White Sox team.
Cease, who recently turned 28, signed a one-year contract worth $8 million in January and is set to become a free agent after the 2025 World Series. With a career record of 43-35 and a 3.83 ERA in 123 major league starts, Cease adds depth and experience to the Padres' pitching rotation.
Known for his fastball averaging 95.6 mph, Cease complements it with a slider, curveball, and splitter in his pitching arsenal. His addition to the Padres' rotation alongside Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove strengthens their pitching staff for the upcoming season.
In exchange for Cease, the White Sox received reliever Steven Wilson and three promising prospects from the Padres. Wilson, a 29-year-old right-hander, made his MLB debut in 2022 and showed promise with a 3.91 ERA in 52 relief appearances.
The Padres also parted ways with three prospects in the trade: right-handers Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte, along with outfielder Samuel Zavala. Thorpe, rated as the Padres' No. 5 prospect, impressed with a 14-2 record and a 2.52 ERA across different minor league levels last season.
Zavala, the Padres' No. 7 prospect, displayed a well-rounded skill set with a .243 batting average, 14 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in the previous year. Iriarte, the No. 8 prospect, showcased his potential as a 22-year-old pitcher with a 3-4 record and a 3.49 ERA in the minors.
The White Sox also designated outfielder Peyton Burdick for assignment to make room on their 40-man roster following the trade. The Padres, who fell short of expectations last season, aim to bounce back and compete for a postseason spot with their revamped roster.
The Padres are scheduled to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea, for their season opener next Wednesday, setting the stage for an exciting start to the upcoming MLB season.
