Could Dylan Cease be dealt before next week’s Winter Meetings?
According to Jon Morosi, trade talks between the White Sox and interested teams have intensified over the past 48 hours, leading some to believe a move could be made sooner than later. Among the finalists are the Atlanta Braves, who emerged publicly as a serious suitor just a few days ago.
The Braves and White Sox are no strangers when it comes to doing business with one another, as Aaron Bummer was just traded to Atlanta a few weeks ago. While the White Sox went for quantity over quality in that deal, they would likely look to gain some more talented prospects in return with Cease at the forefront.
As pointed out by our Jordan Lazowski in a recent article, the Braves are loaded with pitchers in their farm system. In fact, Atlanta’s top five prospects as ranked by Baseball America are all pitchers, which speaks to the overall strength of their development program. With names such as AJ Smith-Shawver (MLB’s No. 39 prospect, Atlanta’s No. 1) and Hurston Waldrep (MLB’s No. 95 prospect, Atlanta’s No. 2), the White Sox have the potential to land relatively advanced arms with front-of-the-rotation upside in a deal.
Morosi’s latest update comes after The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recently reported that more than a dozen teams have inquired about Cease, with the White Sox expected to “extract a monster return.” The Dodgers are considered to be up there with the Braves as one of the most aggressive, with other teams such as the Cardinals and Orioles believed to be in play.
After a second-place Cy Young finish in 2022, Cease struggled throughout the 2023 season, finishing 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA, 3.72 FIP, and a 27.3% strikeout rate. He has two full seasons of team control remaining, which continues to make him of such high value around the league.
As more information becomes available, we will continue to provide updates.
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