MLB trade grades: Padres finalize deal to acquire ace Dylan Cease from White Sox

The San Diego Padres have seemingly won the Dylan Cease sweepstakes, finalizing a trade to acquire the ace from the Chicago White Sox in a blockbuster deal, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Pitcher Drew Thorpe, who the Padres received this offseason as part of the blockbuster deal that sent All-Star outfield Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, will be sent to Chicago along with right-hander Jairo Iriarte in return, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale has reported that they’re also receiving outfielder Samuel Zavala.

MLB trade grades: Padres send prospect package to White Sox for ace Dylan Cease

Thorpe, Zavala, and Iriarte were the No. 5, 7, and 8-ranked players in San Diego’s farm system, meaning the White Sox got multiple high-end prospects in exchange for Cease. San Diego also gets Steven Wilson as part of the deal, Dennis Lin of The Athletic notes.

During his time in the Yankees minor league system in 2023, Thorpe looked the part of a future starting pitcher who should eventually slot into the White Sox rotation. In 23 starts for the Somerset Patriots and Hudson Valley Renegades, Thorpe had a 14-2 record with a 2.52 ERA and 182 strikeouts across 139.1 innings pitched.

Zavala had a .243 batting average, 14 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 115 games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps and Lake Elsinore Storm, the affiliate minor league teams of the Padres.

Overall, the White Sox received a solid haul for Cease, whose name was being floated around in trade rumors this offseason, with teams like the Padres, New York Yankees, and reigning World Series Champion Texas Rangers emerging as legitimate suitors for his services. Alas, San Diego is on the verge of landing the 28-year-old starter.

After a breakout season that saw him put up a career-best 2.20 ERA in 2022, Cease regressed in 2023, virtually doubling his earned run average. However, he continued to ring up batters at a high rate, averaging 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Cease’s name was being floated around in trade rumors this offseason, with teams like the Padres, New York Yankees, and reigning World Series Champion Texas Rangers emerging as legitimate suitors for his services. Alas, San Diego is on the verge of landing the 28-year-old starter.

The addition of Cease rounds gives the Padres a reliable starter at the front of their rotation to pair with Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, putting him in a position to potentially start the team’s season opener when San Diego faces the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Seoul Series in South Korea to begin the 2024 season, but they paid a steep price. It also likely shuts the door on 2023 NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell re-signing with the team this offseason.

Padres trade grade: B+
White Sox trade grade: A-