Dylan Cease rumors: Ranking 5 trade suitors as offseason slows to a crawl
The offseason continues to move at a snail's pace, but after the Corbin Burnes trade, the Chicago White Sox might be more willing to accept an offer for Dylan Cease.
The Chicago White Sox have made it known to teams that they're willing to deal Cease as they attempt to retool their roster, but with Chicago asking for an absurd amount in return, no deal has transpired yet. With one star pitcher finally getting traded, the White Sox might feel more urgency to move their ace.
Corbin Burnes heading to Baltimore should mean that the White Sox now have an idea of what they can realistically get for Dylan Cease. Perhaps Cease's value is a bit higher than Burnes because he has an extra year of team control, but the fact that Burnes is a better pitcher plays a role as well.
The White Sox don't have to trade Cease right now as he has another year of club control, but there's no arguing that his value likely won't be any higher than it is right now. Capitalizing on his premium value before it's too late should be in Chris Getz's mind as the offseason comes to a close. These five teams could use a pitcher of Cease's caliber and have the assets to get a deal done.
5) Trading for Dylan Cease would make the Braves undisputed favorites in the National League
The Atlanta Braves trading for Chris Sale suggests that they checked in on Cease and decided that the price was too high. While it's certainly less than likely that Atlanta will pull off a Cease trade before the regular season, it shouldn't be an impossibility. The fit still makes sense, and with the Dodgers continuing to act aggressively on the market, the Braves should not be done trying to upgrade their roster.
Atlanta enters the 2024 campaign as one of the clear favorites to not only win the National League Pennant but the World Series. If the Braves can somehow add Dylan Cease to the team that they have, they should be thought of as the favorites in the National League.
Atlanta has arguably the best duo leading their rotation with Spencer Strider and Max Fried, but the other three starters come with some question marks. Can Chris Sale stay healthy? How good will Charlie Morton be at age 40? Which version of Bryce Elder will we see?
In terms of assets, the Braves don't have the best farm system in the world but do have two stud pitching prospects in A.J. Smith Shawver and Hurston Waldrep who the White Sox would covet. Atlanta can even dangle Bryce Elder in talks, and he should be valuable considering the fact that he's had success at the MLB level and comes with five years of team control.
It'd hurt to give up the package Chicago is asking for, but if it results in a World Series win, nobody will care. Plus, with Cease being a Georgia native, the possibility of him signing one of the Alex Anthopoulos patented extensions can't be ruled out, even with Scott Boras representing him.