Dylan Cease winks and nods at trade speculation as White Sox appear to give in

Things can change quickly in the sports world. Earlier this offseason, Chicago White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease was reportedly unlikely to be traded anytime soon, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. However, the ace’s market appears to be rapidly evolving and heating up ahead of Opening Day.

The New York Yankees have “re-engaged” with the White Sox about Cease’s availability as they await more news regarding reigning Cy Young Gerrit Cole’s elbow injury, submitting a new trade proposal, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has mentioned that the reigning World Series Champion Texas Rangers have also entered the mix as a potential destination for Cease, citing that White Sox scouts have “descended in droves” at the team’s camp this week, suggesting that momentum for a trade is mounting.

Cease was asked by the media whether or not he was aware of the trade speculation and to give his thoughts on the matter amid the uncertainty, which he took in stride and answered to the best of his ability while acknowledging the reality of the situation.

White Sox Dylan Cease takes trade rumors head-on

“Chris [Getz] called me in the morning and kind of gave me a heads up,” Cease said. “It’s not something that’s really that big of a deal… it’s out of my control and I just want to perform."

Earning $8 million in 2024 with an additional year of arbitration eligibility remaining, Cease is a cost-effective and high-end starter who could bolster any team’s pitching staff.

Now that Chicago has given into Cease’s trade market, his future with the franchise is suddenly in question. His status as the team’s Opening Day starting pitcher is also officially up in the air, considering how quickly things seem to be moving as the White Sox weigh their options for the talented 28-year-old.