The Seattle Mariners are in talks with the Chicago White Sox to acquire right-handed starter Dylan Cease via trade, according to a report from USA Today correspondent Bob Nightengale. The White Sox are reportedly seeking a package of players led by pitchers Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo in exchange for Cease.
The Mariners’ rotation currently consists of Luis Castillo and George Kirby, who finished third and eighth in the 2023 American League Cy Young Award voting, respectively, with Logan Gilbert as their No. 3 starter. Adding Cease to the mix would give the club another potential ace next season, as Cease finished second in American League Cy Young voting two years ago.
However, it is uncertain whether Seattle is willing to part with Miller or Woo in a trade for Cease, as both pitchers are under contract control through 2029. Cease has two years of contract control left before becoming a free agent.
Earlier in the winter, the likelihood of Cease being traded seemed high. But now, the potential for him to be traded before Opening Day has diminished due to the high asking price from the White Sox. MLB Network analyst Jon Heyman recently reported that a general manager heard Chicago has been asking for “the sun and the moon” in exchange for the 28-year-old right-hander.