Padres finalizing trade with White Sox for RHP Dylan Cease, sources say - ESPN

The San Diego Padres are finalizing a trade to acquire right-hander Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Cease, 28, was the runner up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2022, but he is coming off a down year. After compiling a 2.20 ERA two seasons ago, it went up to 4.58 last year. He was the subject of trade rumors all winter, as new White Sox general manager Chris Getz sought a reset for a team that lost 101 games last season.

Cease is under team control for this season and next, making $8 million in 2024. That price tag undoubtedly made him attractive to teams like the Padres, who weren't looking to add a lot of payroll. In fact, San Diego shed money this offseason, sending star Juan Soto to the New York Yankees in December. Now, they add to their major league club by trading for Cease, who had little chance of signing a long-term deal to stay in Chicago.

Cease fits near the top of the Padres' rotation, right next to Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. Despite his down year in 2023, he still has one of the best sliders in the game. Entering spring training, he declared himself as healthy as he's ever been.

Cease has a career 3.83 ERA over five seasons — all with the White Sox — after being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2014. He's pitched 8.1 innings this spring, giving up six hits and two runs — both homers — over three starts. Now he'll join the Padres who open the season in Seoul, Korea against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 20.