The New York Mets have made some changes to their starting rotation this winter, but they may not be done making moves. They are out of the running for Rōki Sasaki but could look to trade for a starter.
The Mets signed Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes. They also brought back Sean Manaea and made a run at Sasaki. However, after being ruled out of the Sasaki sweepstakes, FanSided’s James Nolan proposed this trade that brings San Diego Padres star Dylan Cease to the Mets:
- Mets receive: right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease
- Padres receive: infielder Jeff McNeil and centerfielder Alex Ramírez
“The San Diego Padres have shown a willingness to trade stars with one year left on their contracts,” wrote Nolan. “Dylan Cease has been rumored to be on the trade block all offseason, as he had one year remaining on his contract. They could use outfielders and prospects, especially if they lose Jurickson Profar in free agency. New York could trade Jeff McNeil and prospect Alex Ramírez in return for the 29-year-old right-hander.”
McNeil won a batting title in 2022. He signed a four-year, $50 million deal after that season and has failed to meet expectations. The Padres could be open to trading Luis Arráez and could use another infielder. Arráez is a three-time batting champion and will be tough to replace. However, if McNeil can get back to his All-Star form he could be a great addition.
Cease could be a great addition to the Mets rotation. Spotrac projects him to sign a five-year, $108 million deal in free agency. He could take over as the team’s ace and take pressure off of Manaea, Montas and Holmes. Last season Cease had a 3.47 ERA with 224 strikeouts. He was the American League Cy Young Award runner-up in 2022. He has made 30-plus starts in each of the last four seasons.
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