NL Central Contender Predicted to Land $120 Million Ace in Blockbuster Trade

The Chicago White Sox have been willing to trade starting pitcher Dylan Cease all winter. A high asking price has led to him remaining with the club and being named their 2024 Opening Day starter. But could he finish the season with the St. Louis Cardinals?

That’s what Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller thinks might happen. In a February 26 article, he predicted that Cease will get dealt to the Cardinals before the trade deadline. He notes the Baltimore Orioles are frequently mentioned as a logical landing spot. However, Miller thinks St. Louis is the better fit.

“Sonny Gray was a great pickup for St. Louis, but both the Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn ‘one year plus a club option’ deals feel like band-aid solutions that might not stick,” he said. “The Cards do have two highly touted pitching prospects in the pipeline in Tink Hence and Tekoah Roby, but both of those 2020 draft picks are likely at least a year away from becoming legitimate options for the rotation.”

According to Spotrac, Cease is set to make $8 million in 2024. He’s even more attractive to interested teams because he isn’t scheduled to reach free agency until after the 2025 campaign.

Cease Will Look to Recapture His 2022 Magic

The right-handed hurler has been a popular trade target despite not putting together the best performance in 2023. In 33 starts (177 innings), he went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 214 strikeouts. Although his ERA and WHIP were much higher than the year prior, it’s notable that he surpassed the 200-strikeout plateau for the third straight year.

Cease may have run into some bad luck based on advanced stats, as well. His Fielder Independent Pitching (FIP) for 2023 came in at 3.72, per FanGraphs. So, combine that with the strikeouts and his durability — which includes three straight years of 30-plus starts — and it’s no secret why teams want him. Plus, the entire league got a glimpse of his potential in 2022.