Just when it looked like the Dylan Cease trade rumors were going to fizzle out this offseason a new team has reportedly entered the mix.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightingale the Seattle Mariners have “quietly entered trade talks with the White Sox for ace Dylan Cease.” Nightingale writes that the White Sox front office seeks a package centered around Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo.
Recent reports have suggested that the White Sox are expecting to hang onto Cease. A rival executive told Jon Heyman of the New York Post that the White Sox are asking for the “sun and moon” in trade talks for Cease. Then on Thursday, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol announced Cease as his Opening Day starter and praised his attitude amid constant trade rumors throughout the offseason.
Chris Getz has good reason to place a high price tag on Cease. The 28-year-old right-hander has not only been one of the most durable starters in the game over the last three seasons, but he has also been one of the most effective. From 2021-2023 Cease ranks 10th amongst MLB pitchers in Wins Above Replacement with a 12.2 WAR in 97 starts. He is also still under team control for the next two seasons and is only owed $8 million in 2024.
Adding Cease to the Mariner’s rotation would give the Mariners one of the most dynamic starting rotations in the MLB. Three-time All-Star Luis Castillo headlines a group that also includes, Logan Gilbert who posted a 3.0 WAR last season, and Geroge Kirby who is fresh off his first All-Star selection last season.
But Miller and Woo would be a high price to pay for Seattle. Miller is a 25-year-old right-hander who got his first taste of MLB action last season. In 25 starts he went 8-7, posting a 4.32 ERA with a 4.8% walk rate that ranked amongst the top five percent of the league.
Woo is a former sixth-round pick who also made his MLB debut last season. The 23-year-old right-hander posted a 4.21 ERA in 18 starts with a 25.1% strikeout rate. Woo has a six-pitch mix that includes a fastball that sits around 95 mph and a cutter that produced a 33% whiff rate last season.
The Mariners also have four players ranked inside MLB Pipelines Top 100 prospects that they could offer the White Sox. This includes infielder Cole Young (N0.37) catching prospect Harry Ford (No. 38), outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez (No. 79) and infielder Colt Emerson (No. 87).
Young and Emerson can both play second base, which is an area of need for the White Sox. Gonzalez has played both right field and left field during his minor league career but has spent more time in right. Last season he hit .298 with 18 home between stops at Seattle’s Single-A and High-A affiliates.
Nightingale added that if the White Sox can’t complete the trade, they are expected to open the season with Cease. However, they could revisit trade talks with teams around the July 30 trade deadline or “wait to see if a team becomes desperate with a sudden injury.”
