Padres exploring offseason options, which could include trading Dylan Cease – elcajon newson Elcajon News only

DALLAS — The Padres still plan on contending for a championship, and the circumstances still seem conducive to that aim.

In a league where 12 teams make the postseason, their payroll will almost certainly fall somewhere near the middle of the pack among Major League Baseball’s 30 teams.

They were ranked 15th in payroll in 2024 and won more games than all but four other teams and lost in the National League Division Series to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers.

But the Padres are also cognizant of a budget in a way they were not for when late owner Peter Seidler authorized spending that saw the franchise rise as high as No.3 in expenditures on players in 2023.

Their payroll for 2025 will be higher than last year’s $169 million, but the aim is for it to be less than the current projection of around $210 million, according to people familiar with the Padres’ plans.

With that in mind, the Padres are exploring possibilities that would lower their financial commitments while adding talent.

Among their numerous conversations at this week’s winter meetings are some with other teams regarding starting pitcher Dylan Cease.

There is no indication any deal is imminent. League sources characterized those talks as being anywhere from “trying to unload Cease” to the Padres being “open to” trading the right-hander, who turns 29 later this month and is projected to make between $13 million and $14 million in 2025, his final year of arbitration eligibility.

With the cost of pitching on the free-agent market, Cease could be an attractive trade option who could bring the Padres needed help in left field or designated hitter and/or prospects they could turn around in a separate trade.

Cease was acquired in a trade from the White Sox last March and ended up finishing fourth in National League Cy Young voting. Cease posted a 3.47 ERA in 189⅓ innings over 33 starts. And on July 25, Cease threw the second no-hitter in franchise history.

While unloading Cease would thin the Padres’ starting pitching depth, they would still have Yu Darvish and Michael King at the top of the rotation and Randy Vasquez and Matt Waldron as their other experienced starters. They are  pursuing Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki and are confident in their ability to add another mid-level starter.

Originally Published: December 10, 2024 at 10:57 AM PST