The New York Yankees will be without Gerrit Cole this season and could look at adding a superstar through trade at some point during the year. Could they make a play for San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease?
Cease is slated to be a free agent after the season, but the Padres will likely hold on to him for right now, especially with Yu Darvish injured. However, that could change at the trade deadline. FanSided’s Christopher Kline urged the Yankees to trade for Cease this season.
“The NL got a heck of a lot better this winter. Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, and Sasaki all signed with division foes,” wrote Kline. “The Giants beefed up their lineup. The Padres’ position in the NL hierarchy is precarious at best. Should the Padres bite the bullet and float Cease on the trade market — and let’s be clear, the Padres will not be able to afford Cease as a free agent — the Yankees are an obvious fit. New York would then need to worry about paying all three of Cole, Fried, and Cease, but it’s a price worth paying for World Series contention.”
Spotrac projects Cease to earn a five-year, $108 million deal in free agency. He could slot in as the Yankees ace as they try to win the American League again. If the Yankees bring him back on a new contract in free agency, he, Max Fried and Cole would form one of the best trios in baseball.
Cease finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award race last season and has a 3.40 ERA in the last four years. Last season he had a 3.47 ERA in 189 1/3 innings of work. Adding Cease would not be cheap, but would be the best way to replace Cole, even if it happens at the deadline.
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