The Dylan Cease rumors are starting to ramp up.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the White Sox are starting to take “more serious offers” for their right-handed starting pitcher. Sherman said a Cease trade is “no sure thing” at this point, though Keynan Middleton is almost certainly to get moved and offers for Tim Anderson are still being considered.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand provided an additional update, saying the White Sox are understandably “looking for the moon” in any Cease return. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman also added earlier that some rival teams believe the enormous package it would take to land Cease could cause him to remain on the South Side.
Cease, 27, was originally acquired during the first big sell-off for the White Sox back in 2017, coming over from the Chicago Cubs with Eloy Jimenez in exchange for Jose Quintana. It’s only fitting that he is part of the team’s next fire sale.
Over his five major league seasons on the South Side, Cease has thrown 600.1 innings and posted a 3.67 ERA and 3.85 FIP, striking out 28.2% of batters he’s faced while walking 10.3%. He certainly came a long way from some of his first outings with the White Sox, leaning on Ethan Katz’s guidance to become the pitcher that finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022.
Cease still possesses great stuff but has come back down to earth a bit during the 2023 campaign, posting a 4.15 ERA (55 ER/119.1 IP), 1.34 WHIP, 3.57 FIP, 27.6% strikeout rate, and 37.7% ground ball rate. Despite some command issues throughout the season, Cease is still an integral part of this team as he’s under control through the 2025 season. Any team that would potentially acquire him would land a top-tier starting pitcher for three postseason runs, hence the hefty price tag in place.
As for potential teams interested, some rumors have floated around a connection between the Sox and Orioles. Baltimore’s need for starting pitching along with their deep farm system makes them a prime candidate to land Cease, assuming they’re fine with unloading several of their Top 100 prospects. YES Network’s Jack Curry even reports that the Orioles have an offer out to the White Sox, though no further information is known at this time.
We will continue to monitor the situation for further updates. Be sure to follow us on social media @SoxOn35th for more!
Featured Photos: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
