Should the Mets Call Padres About Dylan Cease, Michael King?

The New York Mets could look into trading for several starting pitchers that are on the trade block.

Aug 17, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It had initially appeared that the New York Mets were all set with their starting rotation for 2025 once their re-signing of Sean Manaea to a three-year deal was finalized back in December.

This is because the Mets currently boast six MLB-caliber starting pitchers in Manaea, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, David Peterson, and Paul Blackburn; not to mention compelling prospects like Brandon Sproat who could be ready for the big leagues by next season.

However, this doesn't mean the Mets could continue to improve their staff if an opportunity becomes available. And in a January 27 article, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic may have made such an opportunity apparent.

"One reason the open market remains clogged is that teams continue to discuss trades. The Seattle Mariners’ Luis Castillo and San Diego Padres’ Dylan Cease and Michael King, for example, are among the starting pitchers who remain in play," Rosenthal wrote.

Is there a world where the Mets make a trade for one of the Padres' two starting pitchers who were mentioned? It's certainly possible.

Pat Ragazzo of On SI is reporting that the Padres’ asking price for Cease has been very high. However, King, who is also a one-year rental, could be a better fit if the Mets can land him for a lesser package than Cease.

It would be interesting to see who the Mets could need to send back to San Diego to finalize a deal for either starter.

Padres general manager and president of baseball operation AJ Preller would likely want at least a prospect or two in return for King, despite him only having one more year on his contract. Perhaps adding a veteran player like Starling Marte, Jose Butto, and/or Tylor Megill could be another means of sweetening the pot, so to speak.

Again, this is all speculation, and David Stearns may think including any of those players is too much for a one-year rental of King or Cease. But adding either starter to the Mets' rotation would make an already great offseason even better.