Padres acquire RHP Dylan Cease in trade with White Sox

He San Diego Padres have acquired the right dylan cessation from the Chicago White SoxIt was announced on Wednesday.

The White Sox will receive right-hander Drew Thorpe, who is the No. 4 prospect in the Padres system and No. 64 among ESPN’s Top 100 MLB Prospectsright-hander Jairo Iriarte (the seventh prospect among San Diego minor leaguers), outfielder Samuel Zavala and right-hander Steve Wilson.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the White Sox designated outfielder Peyton Burdick for assignment.

Cease, 28, was runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2022, but is coming off a down year. After compiling a 2.20 ERA two seasons ago, he moved 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 reboot for a team that lost 101 games last season.

Cease is under team control for this season and next, earning $8 million in 2024. His contract certainly made him attractive to teams like the Padres, who weren’t looking to add much payroll. In fact, San Diego lost money this offseason and sent its star juan soto toward New York Yankees in December. Now, the Padres add to their major league club by acquiring Cease, who had little chance of signing a long-term contract to remain in Chicago.

He fits near the top of the Padres’ rotation, right next to Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. Despite his down year in 2023, Cease still has one of the best sliders in the game. As spring training began, he declared himself healthier than ever.

The White Sox sought maximum value for Cease during the offseason, asking teams for several top prospects in exchange for his services. In the end, San Diego signs him to a full two-year deal, while Chicago replenishes a farm system ranked 20th by ESPN entering the season.

Cease has a career 3.83 ERA in five seasons, all with the White Sox, after being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2014. He has pitched 8⅓ innings this spring, allowing six hits and two runs (both home runs) in three starts. He will now join the Padres’ season-opening team in Seoul, Korea, against the Los Angeles Dodgers March 20th.