*Photo from the Chicago Sun Times*
We can still have big trades in spring training. The San Diego Padres have acquired RHP Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for RHP's Steven Wilson, Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte along with OF Samuel Zavala, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
The cost for the Padres was steep, as they gave up 3 of their top 10 prospects along with a major league reliever. Cease is under team control for 2024 and 2025, giving the Padres another top of the rotation arm to pair with Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove.
San Diego GM AJ Preller said of the trade that "It's hard to give up the names that we gave up. We think very highly of Drew Thorpe, Iriarte, Zavala and Wilson. But a guy like Dylan Cease was the right pitcher at the right time for this team. He brings a lot to the table. He brings the ability to miss bats. It's a power repertoire, but power with durability."
Cease is just one year removed from finishing in second place in the voting for AL Cy Young in addition to receiving down ballot MVP votes. He is set to make $8 million this season and his last season of arbitration eligibility is in 2025.
While his 2022 was great, Cease took a step back in 2023. He ended the season with a 4.58 ERA, 3.72 FIP, and 1.418 WHIP, averaging 4 walks per 9 innings and 10.9 strikeouts per 9, tossing 177 innings while making 33 starts for the White Sox.
Despite taking a noticeable step back in 2023, Cease remains one of the best strikeout pitchers. He surpassed 200 strikeouts for the 3rd straight season despite also walking 79 hitters. He had been the subject of trade rumors all offseason, with the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers all reportedly showing interest before the Padres got him.
One piece going back to the White Sox is Wilson, fresh off his second major league season. He posted a 3.91 ERA, 4.52 FIP, and 1.170 WHIP, averaging 9.7 strikeouts per 9 while making 52 relief appearances, throwing 53 innings for the Padres.
Thorpe is the highest rated prospect in the deal, ranked 5th in the Padres system and 85th in all of baseball. With High A Hudson Valley and Double A Somerset in the Yankees system in 2023, he had a 0.983 WHIP and 2.52 ERA, throwing 139 1/3 innings over 23 starts.
Iriarte is the 8th ranked Padres prospect but is outside the top 100 in baseball. Iriarte ended 2023 with a 3.49 ERA and 1.284 WHIP, striking out 128 hitters for an average of 12.8 per 9 innings, throwing 90 1/3 innings in 21 starts and 6 relief appearances between High A Fort Wayne and Double A San Antonio.
Zavala is also outside the top 100 and is ranked 7th in the Padres system. Playing center field and right field, he posted a .243/.391/.406 slash line with a .797 OPS, hitting 23 doubles and 14 home runs to go with 77 RBI's in 115 games between Low A Lake Elsinore and High A Fort Wayne.
With the pickup of Cease, the Padres rotation is projected to consist of Cease, Darvish, Musgrove, Michael King, and Matt Waldron. They kick off the regular season against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 20 and 21 in Seoul, South Korea.
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