The Los Angeles Dodgers need pitching and there is a chance Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease will be available during the offseason. Cease was mentioned in trade rumors prior to the deadline during the 2023 season, but a deal failed to come to fruition. Now the Dodgers are being mentioned as a possible trade suitor for the right-handed pitcher, with Zach Rymer of Bleacher Report even listing the Dodgers among the top landing destinations for Cease.
The Dodgers don't necessarily need to add a star pitcher. Los Angeles must trade for/sign reliable hurlers who can add depth to the rotation though.
With that being said, Cease's upside is that of a star. The Dodgers may be interested in acquiring him since he's only 27-years old and is under team control through 2025.
Before diving into the perfect trade proposal the Dodgers must offer the White Sox for Cease, let's take a look at the Chicago pitcher's stats over the years.
Dylan Cease's career performance
Cease debuted in MLB back in 2019. He flashed signs of potential but struggled overall during his first year in the big leagues.
Cease displayed steady improvement in 2020 and 2021, and finally emerged as a superstar during the '22 campaign. In 2022, Cease pitched to the tune of a sparkling 2.20 ERA while striking out a career-high 227 hitters.
Walks were an issue for Cease, as he led the league with 78 base-on-balls. Still, he was wildly effective and finished second in AL Cy Young voting.
Cease took a step in the wrong direction in 2023 though, finishing with a 4.58 ERA. His 79 walks did not league the league, but they were far from ideal. He did lead the league in wild pitches with 14 though.
Control is problematic for Cease but he features some of the best stuff in the game. With Cease, you're going to get some disastrous starts where he simply cannot find the strike zone. You will also receive a number of dominant outings though.
Given his age and contract status, despite the down 2023 year, the White Sox will want a loaded trade return package. So what will it take for the Dodgers to acquire Dylan Cease?
Dodgers' trade offer
White Sox receive: C Diego Cartaya, RHP River Ryan, LHP Ronan Kopp
Dodgers receive: RHP Dylan Cease
Cartaya, 22, began the 2023 season as the Dodgers' No. 1 overall prospect. He's currently ranked No. 3 overall, which is still impressive given LA's strong farm system.
Ryan is 25-years old and ranked No. 8 in the Dodgers' farm system, while Kopp is a 21-year-old left-handed pitcher ranked No. 16 for the Dodgers, per MLB.com.
So why trade Cartaya? After all, his ceiling is extremely high for a catcher.
The Dodgers need to choose between Will Smith and Diego Cartaya soon. They can't move either to first base since Freddie Freeman is patrolling the position. Meanwhile, LA is hopeful that Shohei Ohtani will take over DH duties.
Cartaya's potential suggests he will be more than a backup catcher. And Smith is already an All-Star big league catcher. So the Dodgers might as well trade one of them and receive a star like Dylan Cease in return.
Ryan is another Dodgers' top 10 prospect, while Kopp's age gives him plenty of time to develop for the rebuilding White Sox.
Cease would provide Los Angeles with a high upside starting pitcher. Again, there are question marks when it comes to Cease's overall performance. Given his upside and age though, this trade is worth it.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Dylan Cease end up in the NL Cy Young conversation in 2024 if traded to LA.
Is the trade realistic?
The White Sox are rumored to be open to trading Dylan Cease at some point this offseason. Again, the price tag won't be cheap though.
If Chicago is serious about at least listening to offers for Cease, this is one they will not be able to ignore. Cartaya projects to be a star catcher with offensive prowess, something that many big league catchers in today's game lack.
The addition of the other prospect pitchers makes this a realistic deal. Sure, the White Sox could ask for a little more or the Dodgers might display hesitancy before giving a top prospect like Cartaya away.
But given both teams' current franchise directions and needs, this is a trade the Dodgers and White Sox must consider. If Chicago ends up not dealing Cease, Los Angeles can't give up. They need to add pitching depth in order to make a World Series run in 2024.
Inquiring about Cease would be a smart decision though.
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