The Houston Astros were busy with under two hours left in the MLB trade deadline. Their first move was a wild one, reuniting with Carlos Correa in a trade with the Minnesota Twins. Houston’s next deal brought in outfielder Jesus Sanchez to be the team’s much-needed left-handed hitting outfielder.
But, as the deadline was approaching, the Astros were strongly linked to the San Diego Padres for a potential Dylan Cease trade. However, as the deadline passed and no deal came to fruition, the Astros passed on trading for Cease.
After the deadline, MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today revealed the package that the Astros were being asked to send to San Diego for Cease. While losing out on Cease is a shame, the reason is clear based on the Padres’ demands.
The San Diego Padres, who were talking to the Houston Astros about starter Dylan Cease as the deadline expired, were asking for starter Spencer Arrighetti and three prospects in return.
The Astros declined.
Cease remains a Padre.— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2025
San Diego was asking for starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti, along with three other prospects, for Cease. It’s a huge commitment to a rental pitcher in Cease, and the Astros declined.
The Padres’ starting pitcher is a free agent at the end of the year, and at 29 years old, Cease is having a shaky season. He has a 4.79 ERA in 22 starts this season, but he has 153 strikeouts, fourth in MLB in 2025.
MORE: Astros agree to blockbuster trade with Twins for Carlos Correa
He has a 3-10 record, and through 118.1 innings, Cease has allowed 17 home runs, 47 walks, and a WHIP of 1.335. His 87 ERA+ is the lowest it’s been since his rookie season.
But the Astros were able to get the most out of Yusei Kikuchi in 2024 when he had a 4.75 ERA before landing with the Astros. Once in Houston, Kikuchi had a remarkable 2.70 ERA, dramatically improving on his first-half performance.
This turnaround is one of the main reasons why the Astros were strongly considering a trade for Cease. But, as general manager Dana Brown mentioned after the deadline passed, shared by Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the “asking prices were too high.”
Astros GM Dana Brown on his search for pitching: “We just felt like the asking prices were too high. We know we have a bunch of starters coming back.”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 31, 2025
Brown didn’t bite, and the Padres kept the starting pitcher despite strong interest from the Astros and Padres to get a deal done. While the Astros could’ve used Cease, they will instead rely on their injured starters, including Arrighetti, returning from injury.
Houston made a lot of huge moves at the deadline, but they didn’t get a Cease deal completed as the price was too much to pay. Even though the two sides were deep in trade talks, a deal wasn’t worked out, and the Astros moved forward without adding a starting pitcher at the deadline.
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