Chicago Cubs – San Diego Padres trade proposal featuring Dylan Cease

The Chicago Cubs have been labeled as a team to watch in the Dylan Cease sweepstakes as they have checked in with the San Diego Padres regarding a trade.  Jed Hoyer has already made two significant deals for players on expiring contracts, so what’s to say he won’t add Cease alongside the already acquired Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly?  A move like this would push the team all-in on the 2025 season, but wouldn’t hinder their payroll in future seasons.

Here we take a look at a trade proposal between the two teams featuring Cease.

Chicago Cubs – San Diego Padres trade proposal featuring Dylan Cease 

Cubs receive: 

• RHP Dylan Cease

Padres receive:

• RHP Javier Assad
• 2B/OF James Triantos

In this proposal, the Cubs would take on Cease’s full $13.75 million salary, which is one primary reason why the Padres are shopping him.  The Padres would then receive a controllable proven MLB starting pitcher in Assad, who can back fill the loss of Cease while still making a pre-arbitration salary.  They also would get Chicago’s fifth ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline, in which he is an excellent hitter that is coming of a season where he had a .300 batting average and 47 stolen bases in the minor leagues.

This framework models the Corbin Burnes trade

Last off-season, the Milwaukee Brewers dealt Corbin Burnes with a year of control left to the Baltimore Orioles.  The return package in that trade was two high upside players in pitcher DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz.  At the time, Hall was coming off a great run out of the bullpen with the Orioles and Ortiz had just got a cup of coffee in the big leagues.

The above mentioned trade proposal has a similar framework, but Assad features a more proven track record in the big leagues.  On the other hand, Triantos has not yet made his MLB debut, but he is blocked by a Cubs infield where Nico Hoerner is the everyday second baseman and the outfield consists of Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, and Seiya Suzuki if needed.

It’s possible that other teams could offer more for Cease, as San Diego reportedly has high demands for him, but in the end modeling something similar to the Burnes trade isn’t out of the question.  The Cubs will have to stay in touch with the Padres and see if a deal materializes.