3 STL Cardinals trade targets that would be immediate team stat leaders
By Josh Wilson
Dylan Cease would have a top-3 ERA+ on starting pitching rotation
Looking at another player SI floated as a possible target for the Cards, Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox would be a good statistical add.
I think whoever lands Cease, if the Sox choose to deal him, may win this year’s MLB Trade Deadline. Pitching is the storyline at this year’s deadline, and Cease seems to be the pitcher most likely to help a team will itself deep into the postseason, competing for a World Series.
Cease’s stats, honestly, don’t quite jump off the page at you, but you have to realize what team he’s pitching on and just how bad the White Sox have been this year. In 19 starts, Cease has eight quality starts but just three wins.
His ERA is made worse by his fielding, too, with a 0.50 better field independent pitching stat compared to a 4.30 ERA. He would be second-best in FIP on the Cardinals.
Regardless, Cease’s ERA is above average, with a 101 ERA+. That would come in as a tie with Miles Mikolas for third-best among the starters on the Cardinals. Jordan Montgomery has a 133 and Jack Flaherty has an exactly average 100.
Don’t hold your breath on Cease getting to St. Louis, though. A few weeks ago, Ken Rosenthal reported that the Sox only wanted to trade rental players, which would mean players whose deals are expiring after this year. Cease isn’t a free agent until 2026, so it seems as if the Sox might want to hold.
Regardless, Cease is the kind of pitcher the Sox should want to add.