By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–The San Diego Padres have bolstered their pitching rotation by acquiring right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease from the Chicago White Sox.
The trade, announced by President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller, sees Cease heading to San Diego in exchange for right-handers Steven Wilson, Drew Thorpe, and Jairo Iriarte, as well as outfielder Samuel Zavala.
Cease, 28, is coming off an impressive season with the White Sox, where he set a career-high with 33 starts and struck out 214 batters. This marked his third consecutive season with both 30-plus starts and 200-plus strikeouts. In total, Cease went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA in 177.0 innings pitched, including a 3.48 ERA in 44.0 innings against National League opponents.
The right-hander had a standout year in 2022, finishing second in the American League Cy Young voting behind Houston’s Justin Verlander. He posted a 14-8 record with a 2.20 ERA, a career-best 227 strikeouts, and impressive marks in various statistical categories. Notably, Cease set a Major League record by making 14 consecutive starts allowing one earned run or less from May 29 to August 11, 2022.
Over his five-year Major League career, Cease has compiled a 43-35 record with a 3.83 ERA, 792 strikeouts, and a .228 opponents’ average in 658.0 innings pitched. Since his first full season in 2021, he has been a standout performer, leading all AL pitchers in several categories.
Cease, originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 6th round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, will now join the Padres’ roster and wear No. 84. His addition is expected to provide a significant boost to San Diego’s pitching staff as they look to make a push in the upcoming season.
