MLB Rumors: Latest Dylan Cease trade update immensely favors Braves

The Chicago White Sox have been shopping Dylan Cease for weeks, with trade talks picking up once Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. LA made a subsequent move to address a need in their starting rotation, trading for former Rays ace Tyler Glasnow.

The White Sox were reportedly disappointed with that move, if only because Ryan Pepiot -- a player sent to Tampa Bay in that trade -- was coveted by Chicago. Now, with Los Angeles seemingly taking a back seat in Sale talks for the time being, the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles are favored as landing spots, per Bob Nightengale.

The Orioles are in desperate need for starting pitching, but their unwillingness to part ways with top prospects, along with their inability to give a frontline starter an expensive extension, makes this fit rather unlikely unless the Angelos family has signed off.

The Braves have the advantage for Cease if they want it, and seemingly some bargaining power for once. The White Sox are down a suitor for now, and the Orioles won't give in to Chris Getz's absurd trade demands for Cease. If Alex Anthopoulos were to meet Getz halfway, the time is right for a trade agreement.

MLB Rumors: Time is right for Braves to trade for Dylan Cease

The Braves prefer not to add much in payroll for this coming season, but the timing works perfectly for Anthopoulos to add Cease to the mix. Because Cease has two years left on his current contract, the Braves can allow him to play out this season on his deal, and potentially consider extending him next winter should they lose Max Fried, who is a free agent in 2024.

Having a Fried backup plan -- and one with the pitch arsenal and stuff as Cease -- is a tremendous asset. Cease would still cost Anthopoulos some of his top prospect capital (think AJ Smith-Shawver, Vaughn Grissom, etc.), but there is no guarantee any of those players will be as successful as Cease, who finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022.