MLB Rumors: 4 St. Louis Cardinals trade targets John Mozeliak can't afford to miss
By Curt Bishop
Dylan Cease
The Chicago White Sox are a team that had a dreadful season, not unlike the Cardinals. They finished 61-101 this season and had the third-worst record in the American League. It's always possible that they could entertain some offers for right-hander Dylan Cease.
Cease had a bad season in 2023, going 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA in 33 starts and 177 innings. However, he was second in the Cy Young race for the American League last year, as he posted an ERA of 2.20, second only to Justin Verlander's 1.84 mark.
The 27-year-old is also a strikeout machine. He fanned 214 batters this season and 227 last year. The Cardinals are in desperate need of swing-and-miss pitching. For the past several years, they have relied on a pitch-to-contact approach, which backfired on them in 2023.
It's going to be hard for the Cardinals to convince the White Sox to move Cease, and they will more than likely have to throw in a name such as Nolan Gorman, Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, or even Tommy Edman.
But Cease would be a tremendous addition to the Cardinals rotation if they decide to dive into the trade market.