Proposed Cubs trade package for Dylan Cease would be a complete steal

Monks who have taken a vow, the thralls and voids of outer space, 50% of a classroom playing 1-2-3 Quiet and Still, and the Chicago Cubs in the 2023-24 offseason. These are the epitomes of silence, the most pressing of which is the Cubs, a franchise whose fanbase was hyped for an aggressive free agency and offseason push to contend in the 2024 season. Yet, they've done nothing, quite literally as they're the only MLB team to not sign a free agent so far this winter.

There is still plenty of hope for the Cubs, though. Despite Jed Hoyer and Co.'s inactivity, some high-profile free agents and trade candidates remain available. However, this team desperately needs to make a splash, which is why the Cubbies have recently been heavily connected to a trade with their crosstown rivals, the Chicago White Sox, for ace Dylan Cease.

The market for Cease is anything but thin, though, with perhaps close to a dozen teams poking around. But Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently provided trade proposals for every Dylan Cease suitor and, if they are to be believed, that could be music to the Cubs' ears.

MLB Rumors: Proposed Cubs trade package for Dylan Cease might be too good to be true

Here's the trade package proposed by Reuter that would allegedly be enough to get the deal done by his measure:

Assad would be a big loss for the major league roster, but he's not untouchable by any stretch. And yes, Kevin Alcantara is a Top 5 prospect for Chicago while James Triantos and Haydn McGeary all have enticing upside. However, the fact of the matter is that the majority of these players are expendable for the Cubs.

With Cease, Assad and his uncertain role would be upgraded over. With Alcantara, despite his talent, he's in a race with highly touted Pete Crow-Armstrong with both playing in the outfield. The Cubs also have plenty of middle infield and first base depth along with Triantos and McGeary. It would make a ton of sense for Chicago to make this deal with, well, Chicago.

But would the White Sox actually want this deal?

Unfortunately, this feels like a pipe-dream that the Cubs could pull this trade package out and get the White Sox to move from Cease. Yes, Chicago could get array of enticing young players at various positions, but this package looks more like exactly what the Cubs would want.

My guess would be that the White Sox would demand a higher-end pitching prospect than Assad, perhaps one less far along in his development and career, in addition to potentially asking for someone like Matt Mervis at the corner infield spot.

Perhaps my assessment isthe one in the wrong here, but if the Cubs are indeed going to go all-in to get Cease, the safe bet is on it taking more than this to land the 2022 Cy Young runner-up in a trade.