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Many expect the St. Louis Cardinals to add pitching this offseason, and it would be a surprise if they did not end up with a free agent like Aaron Nola or Blake Snell, but they need multiple starters, and Chicago White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease makes perfect sense for St. Louis.
The Cardinals still have quality players like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, who are the centerpieces of the lineup, with a promising young hitter like Jordan Walker figuring to be a part of the future as well. There is enough on the Cardinals' roster for there to be a solid lineup next year. The front office has made it known that the team will be pursuing starting pitching since the trade deadline of last season.
As mentioned before, the Cardinals are going to be suitors for free-agent pitchers like Nola and Snell, while a reunion with Jordan Montgomery could be in play as well. It has been reported that the Cardinals will consider trades as well, and Dylan Cease makes a ton of sense.
The White Sox are heading into a period in which they are not likely to contend, and Dylan Cease is one of the most valuable assets the team has. He has two more years of arbitration remaining before becoming a free agent ahead of the 2026 season. The Cardinals would get a very strong rotation piece with ace potential for two seasons.
Cease put up a 4.58 ERA last season, which was underwhelming after posting a 2.20 ERA in 2022 and finishing second in the Cy Young voting to Justin Verlander. However, the White Sox reportedly had some culture problems on the pitching side. Cease remains a pitcher with very high potential.
With that being said, let's look into the perfect trade the Cardinals should offer the White Sox for Dylan Cease.
Cardinals trade IF Brendan Donovan, SP Tink Hence to White Sox for SP Dylan Cease
The Cardinals are going to have to give up a significant haul to get Cease, and a package of Brendan Donovan and Tink Hence would make a lot of sense in this trade. The White Sox would get a starting pitching prospect in Hence that would hopefully replace Cease in the near future, while Donovan would give them a young, solid offensive player who is versatile.
Donovan would fit in at second base but also has the ability to play the outfield. He would be a good piece for the White Sox as they try to either retool or rebuild over the next couple of seasons. The Cardinals also have the position players to make up for the loss of Donovan, specifically Masyn Winn, a highly touted infield prospect.
Last season went about as bad as anyone could have expected for the Cardinals, and the weakness of the starting pitching being exposed was the biggest reason why. As mentioned before, with Arenado and Goldschmidt around, you do not want to waste any years that they are on your roster.
St. Louis will undoubtedly add to its rotation this offseason, and the free-agent candidates are obvious. However, there is arguably not a move that provides more upside for the Cardinals than a trade for Dylan Cease. Acquiring him could make a huge difference, especially if they are able to coach him well and help him recapture what he did in 2022.
