The New York Mets battled (and defeated) the New York Yankees in their head-to-head pursuit of Juan Soto over the offseason, and now, with both teams needing starting pitching help, they could go head-to-head for San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease as well.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the Mets have talked to the Padres about Cease, and he said the same about multiple AL East teams. There’s reason to believe that the Yankees are one of those AL East teams that have inquired.
A surprise name has emerged in the starting pitcher market: Dylan Cease, who will be eligible for free agency at year’s end. Perception of other teams is that the Padres are intent on making a push for the playoffs, and would use Cease to help fill other roster needs. Mets, AL…
A Cease trade would not come cheap, but it’s worth noting that he’s had a bit of a down year by his standards, and he’ll be a free agent after the year. The Mets won’t have to trade Jett Williams, and the Yankees won’t have to trade George Lombard Jr. to get a deal done. For the Mets to out-duel their crosstown rivals and the rest of the interested suitors around the league, though (while also convincing the Padres to trade him away), they’re going to have to offer perhaps more than Mets fans would like.
Mets can steal Dylan Cease away from Yankees with this mock trade proposal
In this deal, the Mets will be acquiring Cease, a pitcher they hope will help them win the World Series, in exchange for Tylor Megill and two position player prospects.
Megill was struggling a bit before landing on the IL with a sprained elbow (he’s expected to be back sometime in August), but overall, he had a 3.95 ERA in 14 starts. He’s been wildly inconsistent throughout his career, but is a solid-enough fourth or fifth starter who’d come with an additional two years of cheap club control. He’s a valuable piece.
In addition to Megill, the Padres will receive Drew Gilbert, the centerpiece of the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in 2023. Gilbert’s stock has decreased since that deal, but he’s had a decent season in Triple-A and can help provide depth to a Padres outfield in dire need of it.
Lastly, Jacob Reimer might not be rated very highly on MLB Pipeline’s rankings (currently the team’s No. 17 prospect), but his stock has shot up this season thanks to his .865 OPS in 82 games, the last 21 of which have come at Double-A Binghamton. He won’t be MLB-ready until sometime next season at the earliest, but he’s a good tertiary piece for the Padres to acquire.
Why Dylan Cease is worth a gamble for the Mets
Cease is not having a great year, but there’s reason to believe better times are ahead. While he entered Wednesday’s action with a 4.64 ERA in 20 starts, his FIP was over a full run lower at 3.49. He’s gotten quite unlucky. Additionally, Cease’s 30 percent strikeout rate is as high as it’s been since 2022, his 8.4 percent walk rate is a career best and opponents have a .328 BABIP against him. He’s allowed more home runs than usual, but for the most part, Cease has pitched like the frontline arm he’s always been, just with some brutal luck.
With that in mind, he should provide a major boost to this Mets rotation. Starting Cease, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and David Peterson in October with Clay Holmes as depth certainly sounds like a winning formula.
The Mets are unlikely to keep him around long-term based on how David Stearns operates, but there’s a good chance Cease is the best starting pitcher moved at the deadline. This is the kind of move teams trying to win the World Series make, even if it costs a lot. Hopefully, Stearns is willing to get it done.
