Dylan Cease is still a White Sox.
For how much longer is the question.
General manager Chris Getz’ prized trade chip is a valued target for contending teams such as the Yankees and Orioles — to name only two — who are also looking at free agents such as Blake Snell and X Montgomery. Getz, attempting to clean up the Sox mess that was 61 wins and 101 losses last season, wants at least two of a suitor’s top prospects and ideally a young major league player who would help the club immediately in return for Cease, who can become a free agent after the 2025 season and would command a price the Sox wouldn’t be willing to pay.
It’s a high asking price for two years of a player who figures to earn $8 million in arbitration in 2024 and more in 2025.
“We’ve had conversations about Dylan Cease but I also know that we’re not going to move a player like Dylan or anyone else unless we feel like we’re going to benefit,” Getz said on a teleconference call Tuesday. “So it’s got to be right for all parties. A lot of these conversations are on-going, there’s a lot that goes into any sort of trade transaction, there’s a lot of conversations, build up, research and obviously getting it to the finish line.”
In one scenario, the Sox go into the season with Cease starting Opening Day and getting dealt before the July 30 trade deadline. Cease has a healthy history, but risk exists nonetheless.
“It’s ever-evolving in terms of the urgency of other clubs,” Getz said. “It could be in an offseason, it could be at a deadline, it could be in May. There’s just so many factors when you’re talking about 29 other clubs.
‘If we feel like there’s a there’s a fit that improves our club, we will certainly strongly consider it.”
It could take the signings of Snell and Montgomery to advance movement on a Cease trade.
“All it takes is one team to want to jump out, perhaps, and get a deal done. In the case of Dylan, I don’t think there’s a club out there that hasn’t expressed some level of interest in him.”
Cease, 28, posted a 2.20 ERA and finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022. He operated with one of the best sliders in the game, a riding fastball, curve and changeup and did not miss a start in for the third straight season in 2023 but posted a 4.58 ERA. He completed seven innings only twice and averaged 5 1⁄3 innings per start, but his value remains high.
Cease, who is represented by Scot Boras, has spent the offseason in limbo.
“He’s fairly unique in how he does not get distracted and that’s what makes him a special pitcher and a pitcher that could pitch for any club in any city,” Getz said. “That’s why his value is so high.”
With Cease, the Sox rotation looks thin. Without him, it’s hard to even identify an Opening Day starter type. Free-agent signees Erick Fedde (two years, $15 million) and Chris Flexen (one year, x million) are being counted on for the rotation, with returning starters Michael Kopech and Touki Toussaint, recently acquired Michael Soroka and lefty Jared Shuster in the mix, among others.
Getz said 2020 first-round lefty Garrett Crochet, who has pitched only 78 innings due to injuries including Tommy John surgery, is transitioning from reliever to starter. Crochet will likely need a portion of the season to build up starter stamina, however.