Padres' $210 Million Star Linked to 2 NL Rivals in Potential Blockbuster Trades

Mar 16, 2025; Tempe, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease is poised for another strong performance in 2025, but there is still speculation president of baseball operations A.J. Preller will deal the 29-year-old.

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For the Padres to retain Cease after the 2025 season — a pitcher who recorded another top-five finish in Cy Young voting — it won't come cheap. The Padres may even have to pay the right-hander more than Corbin Burnes received from the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason.

Cease would cost around a seven-year, $210 million contract extension, per The Athletic's Tom Britton.

Given the Padres' payroll restrictions, it's unlikely the team will be able to hold on to Cease after the 2025 season.

Still, one could assume the Padres would not trade the right-hander since he is one of their key starters in the rotation. Furthermore, Yu Darvish's injury only makes Cease that much more crucial for San Diego this season.

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While Mike Axisa of CBS Sports reaffirmed the idea that the Friars have their best chance of reaching the postseason with Cease in the rotation, he also makes the case that the right-hander could land with either the Chicago Cubs or New York Mets in a potential midseason trade.

"Just about every Padre who is making real money and doesn't have a no-trade clause has been mentioned in trade rumors the last few months, including Cease," Axisa writes. "Normally I would say San Diego will have to fall out of the race for a trade to become a real possibility, though I'm not sure that's the case here. Money is obviously tight -- you only need to look at how Michael King's and Nick Pivetta's contracts are structured to see that -- and Cease will make a healthy $13.75 million in 2025, his final year of team control. Is there an avenue for the Padres to trade Cease for multiple younger and cheaper players? Yes. It didn't happen during the offseason, but sure, it's possible. I wouldn't say a trade is likely -- San Diego's best chance at returning to the postseason involves Cease taking the ball every five days -- but I won't take it off the table completely."

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