Report: Cubs spoke to Padres about Cease
The San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs have had discussions about star right-hander Dylan Cease, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.
Cease is scheduled to earn $13.75 million in 2025 as he enters his final season of team control before reaching free agency.
The Padres acquired Cease from the Chicago White Sox for four players last March. The 29-year-old went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 224 strikeouts across 189 1/3 innings in 2024. His most memorable moment came when he tossed the first no-hitter of his career in a start against the Washington Nationals on July 25.
Cease owns a career 3.75 ERA with 10.8 K/9 in six MLB seasons with the Padres and White Sox. The Cubs selected Cease in the sixth round of the 2014 draft before trading him to the White Sox as part of the Jose Quintana deal in 2017.
The Cubs are currently expected to begin the 2025 campaign with a starting rotation that includes Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, and Javier Assad. Chicago also signed veteran right-hander Colin Rea as another option for the rotation.