Significant trades halfway through Spring Training are rare, yet speculation about White Sox’s staff ace Dylan Cease hasn’t gone away. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported this morning that the Yankees put a new trade proposal on the table for Chicago’s expected Opening Day starter. Meanwhile, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes that the Rangers are still considering which players they might need to relinquish to try to pry Cease from the Sox.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reports that the Sox and Rangers have had recent conversations regarding Cease. Rosenthal indicates that Chicago seems to be “getting more serious” about dealing the hard-throwing righty this spring.
Manager Pedro Grifol demurred this evening when asked whether he still expected Cease to start for the Sox on Opening Day. “I don’t know. I mean, how am I supposed to know that,” he asked rhetorically (via Scott Merkin of MLB.com). “I don’t know what’s going to happen out there. I don’t know where other teams are, what their urgency is. … I leave that to our major league scouts, our general manager, the front office.”
While the Yankees’ renewed interest in Cease is tied to Gerrit Cole’s MRI, Texas hasn’t dealt with any recent injuries to their rotation. Yet they went into camp knowing that three of their top starters — Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tyler Mahle — were going to begin the year on the shelf. Mahle and deGrom seem likely to be out past the All-Star Break as they work back from last year’s respective Tommy John procedures. Scherzer underwent back surgery in December and is expected to be sidelined into June.
That puts a lot of pressure on the rest of the pitching staff to hold the fort for the season’s first couple months. The Rangers have a front four of Nathan Eovaldi, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning and Andrew Heaney. Left-hander Cody Bradford is the favorite for the #5 job to open the season. Texas optioned Cole Winn over the weekend, taking him out of the mix for an Opening Day job. Owen White and Zak Kent are on the 40-man roster but have a combined two MLB appearances between them (both by White). José Ureña and Adrian Sampson are in camp on non-roster deals but should be behind Bradford on the depth chart.
If healthy, that’s still a solid front four. Yet there’s a fair amount of injury risk with much of that group. Eovaldi has twice undergone Tommy John surgery in his career. Gray has been on the injured list four times in his two seasons as a Ranger. Heaney was healthy last season but lost a good chunk of 2022 to shoulder problems. Even Dunning has a Tommy John surgery in his history, although he has been durable and quite effective for the last three seasons.
Even if that entire group stays healthy, Texas would benefit from another arm who can push Bradford to a long relief role. The southpaw turned in a 5.30 ERA in his first 56 big league frames a year ago. He has excellent control but struggled with home runs last season. That’s likely to be a recurring concern as a fly-ball pitcher without overpowering stuff. His fastball averaged 90.4 MPH.
To his credit, the Baylor product has pitched well this spring. Bradford has rattled off 11 innings of three-run ball, fanning nine against a pair of walks. Still, that’s unlikely to deter the front office from considering ways to upgrade the staff as they look to defend the first World Series in franchise history.
The Sox’s asking price on Cease has remained high, which is why he’s still in Chicago two weeks from Opening Day. The 2022 AL Cy Young runner-up is coming off a down year, turning in a 4.58 ERA over 177 innings. With mid-90s velocity and a strikeout rate that sat above 27% last season, he’s a clear rebound candidate. Cease is under arbitration control for two more years and will make $8MM in 2024. That affordability makes him an attractive alternative to top remaining free agents Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. The Rangers have had a fairly quiet offseason, thanks in part to trepidation about the long-term viability of their TV deal with Bally Sports.
Dear Orioles,
Ante up
They are flowing with talent and have more players than open positions. Could easily deal from the surplus
Just because they could, it doesn’t mean they should. Cease has some huge red flags, and Chicago’s reported asking price has been insane.
With the addition of Burnes, I think Baltimore’s rotation looks pretty good as is.
Too late. Should have been Montgomery.
Wyatt Langford, Sebastian Wolcott, Brock Porter, Kumar Rocker ….. That’s the price!
Orioles? Wasted our time earlier digging in the dumpster looking for a deal. Price went up. You can keep Holiday. … Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, Chase McDermott, Cade Povich and Seth Johnson. Not impressed at all with your minor league pitching.
Thats the price? Enjoy keeping Cease. No one is gving up a package like that.
We typically get what we want. We got a haul for Sale, We got a haul for Adam Eaton. We got a haul for Jose Quintana. Our boys produce as well ….. Boston got a ring with Sale. Eaton was key to Nationals getting a ring. Quintana was terrific for the Cubs while they were contending. Carlos Rodon?? That’s one of our boys as well.
Quintana was far from terrific for the Cubs and Eaton tanked for the Nationals.
You also got James Shields for Fernando Tatis Jr.
If those are the price, enjoy getting a draft pick in 2025.
Of course they keep Holliday. Even the trade you suggested would be a massive overpay for 2 years of Cease. Pretty sure WS wanted a deal revolving around Westburg.
I heard Westburg too. Just jumped off another post about Cease. Proposed Westburg plus a lower level prospect or international pool money. This guy Joe responded back saying that that’s not enough. He said, paraphrasing, Sox GM is asking for return like he’s dangling a “Tom Seaver” out there. Gulp.
White Sox are not going to get a Top 20 prospect for Cease.
A fair deal would be Wolcott, Porter, Rocker and Leiter plus a wildcard pick up or two.
One year of Cease is worth a top 100 prospect, two years, 2 surplus value is worth another top 100 DPC is worth a lower prospect.
Fair? The Rangers would be absolutely insane to give up all of those players for Cease. It would never happen. Cease had one CY caliber year, and other than that he’s never had an ERA below 3.91. I want the Rangers to get him, because they need relatively cheap starting pitching, but if that’s the type of return the White Sox are expecting then it’s a hard pass.
Texas has the prospects.
Langford and Carter for Cease since you have the prospects 😉
That’d be just silly
I’d do Langford for Cease straight up. Rangers would rather use him in a deal for someone better and more control though if they were going to trade him.
Do they ? There’s no chance for Langford and Carter is highly unlikely and not a good fit either way.
So if you want volume, name players both teams would agree on outside of those two. Lieter forscue porter ? Idk if white Sox want that package.
Walcott is the headliner he’s 17 and the 60th prospect in baseball
He hit 240 w a 33% k rate. You think Chicago is going to consider that ? Did you see the package they turned down from reds ?
He’s 17 years old son the white Sox don’t want to win right now
Pure comedy.. If “just being 17” meant anything player calibre wise? Half the guys in the DSL would fit the bill.
He’s rated #71 prospect and he’s 17 that’s the youngest on the top 100 prospect list he’s just a kid.
Teams tend to not like players that young as headliners for trades due to the high risk associated with those prospects. The white sox might go for it because they are a ways away from competing but it would be out of the ordinary.
He has no business being on a top 100 list. And these writers do him no favors by listing him. There’s 28 other teams too. So why would Chicago pass on a better offer to make this deal ?
Pretty sure Ethan Salas is 17 and a lot higher on that list.
Great point ! And Salas shouldn’t be in the top 50; let alone 10. now the expectation is WAY too high and plus he’s a catcher. MLB tried to over hype Cartaya the C from dodgers. Now he’s ranked lower in their organizational rankings then he was at height of top 100 list and looks like he will never break camp w a major league club.
Proven success at AA is the floor for anyone I’ll every consider a top prospect
Time for Sox to pull the trigger and get a boatload of top prospects!
Think you will be disappointed in that boat load.
Garrett Anderson
Tim Salmon
Darren Erstad
Am I doing this right?
Troy Glaus
I’m not sure, but I thought my response was appropriate.
Robb Quinlan
Casey Kotchman
Scott Spiezio
Adam Kennedy
Erick Aybar?
Scot Shields
David Eckstein
Chone Figgins
John Lackey
Bobby Jenks
Jeff DaVanon
I signed up to post this name.
Troy Percival
Brad Fullmer
….Classic
Looked over the roster.. many classic names. Maybe it was my baseball prime but the roster cracks me up. Washburn, Appier, Schoenweiss, Dennis Cook. All the aforementioned. This had a baseball team written all over it.
I was at the game he hit for the cycle (DaVanon).
Probably get rid of Cole Winn, Sam Huff, and maybe another pitching prospect.
That isn’t nearly enough especially if the Rangers won’t even use them in the bigs
But I would like to see Huff moved. The guy needs playing time. He tears up AAA just needs an opportunity.
A 26-year-old catcher with a 33% K% probably doesn’t have a lot of value.
Foscue would most definitely be one of them.
Rangers system is top heavy. Carter and Langford are essentially untouchables so Walcott is highest that might move and I dont think that gets its done as a centerpiece.
Rangers have Porter, Lieter and Rocker. Those are players the White Sox would want.
I like the idea of starting with Leiter and Rocker. It’s too early to write them off, but not to early to start thinking about cashing out while they still have some value.
Leiter has been plain bad, but Rocker is a simple injury risk. He could still be a real good pitcher. And since he might be ready ~ 2026, the timing is good.
Surely the White Sox would take a Foscue or Duran, White, Bradford
It’s the White Sox. They’re going to try and sell them on Kumar Rocker.
Rangers were high on Kumar, don’t know how he’s been since joining their system though.
“Rangers were high on Kumar…since joining their system”…You won’t be seeing Kumar Rocker on a mound for a year or so, because a couple months after Scott Boras declared him “fully healthy”, he ended up needing Tommy John surgery like many people had feared.
Oh wow completely forgot about that. Good old Scott Boras, hyping every client up like they’re a superstar player. Well, Kumar is not an option then if Getz is smart. Thank you for that information mlb fan!
Should be back midseason though
Kumar was out last year. He should be back some time this year. He’s throwing from 120 feet right now and should be throwing off the mound next month.
probably not a fit since langford/carter are off the table
Indeed they are
Waiting for the Cease undergoing MRI after elbow issues.
Smart move by the Rangers to wait out the market. They’re a well run team with a bright future.
What market did they wait out? Getz is the one waiting. Once the season starts, Cease’s value will continue to drop. He wants a higher offer, but with fewer bidders, the offer won’t go higher.
They didn’t run out and sign Lance Lynn or any other stopgap starter. They kept their powder dry likely because they correctly anticipated that several teams would be facing the same kind of revenue uncertainty they are. Now that the market has settled they can shop for the best value. Like I said, smart.
Wrong. The market could grow once Snell and Montgomery sign. It could also grow at the deadline.
I don’t see cease value dropping. I did think that initially but he’s more likely to regain form than not and someone is going to get desperate enough.
I still don’t think it gets back to what reds offered but they will get a haul no doubt. Greater than any package rangers will consider parting with
Cease regain form? You realize that a just under 4 era form. The 22’ was the outlier not the normal form.
What specific package of players did the Reds offer that WSox turned down?
In Dec Getz put out sky high asks b/c mediocre to below avg FA starters were getting 15-20mil per year.
Reds quickly pivoted to PED Montas in that range. Don’t believe it got to point where Reds or anyone offered a headliner of substance.
Something like lowder, petty, India and collier I think. Or near enough
Find it really hard to believe they turned down a chance to get Lowder, especially if Petty was the 2nd piece.
India makes no sense for WSox….but they would’ve haggled on lesser 1 to 2 prospects.
As a reds fan – I would have been disappointed to see that package go as well. White Sox won’t get a return like that regardless of need bc there’s few organizations that have the depth
Cease’s value will depend on how well he pitches. If he’s good his value could notch up a bit, though not much if the Sox’s demands are as high as people say.
Based on the 9:49PM update, I’ll double down on my comments.
And their recent past isn’t bad, either.
He had bad year last year!! Wouldn’t give up farm!
Name a player who had a good year on the 2023 White Sox.
Luis Robert had a very nice year.
Well..thats one…
Jake Burger was having a good year as well, before he was shipped to Miami. Middleton was decent. Gregory Santos had a good year.
Not a lot…but some!
Jose Urena is terrible. Doesn’t even deserve an invite to ST. Plus he’s a scumbag.
Why? Did he mack on your girl?
He threw at Acuna any time he possibly could because he couldn’t get him out with his terrible pitching.
“Mack your girl”? Sorry, Cedric the Entertainer, he didn’t “get jiggy” with my girl or whatever other early 2000’s lingo you could apply.
It was meant to be a silly rejoinder, but go ahead and be chagrined by it.
Somebody found a thesaurus. Sorry, it didn’t come off as you say because it was such a short response to a serious comment.
Maybe in the future you should workshop these things.
I think somebody did mack on your girl. It’s okay to lighten up? If not, that’s okay too.
So, it wasn’t a silly rejoinder. It was an insult that when contested became a joke. Then when the joke was on you it became an insult again.
It’s okay. I understand you got offended because I called out your tired joke, so you backtracked. Then when I didn’t accept
your backtrack your doubled down.
Sure, he “macked” on my girl. I assume your “girl” is an Orlando 10. Which is a regular 4 but with 50 extra ellbees.
Minus points for the Acuna fanboy hissy fit. Which you immediately gain back and then some for the Cedric rejoinder. Well played ma’am, well played
Let’s be honest his joke was better then yours
I think the Rangers can offer the best return for the Southsiders…
Would Getz know a good offer if he heard one?
If Rangers get Cease without giving up Carter or Langford then why should Yankees give up Jones.
Walcott and jack Leiter and maybe Taveras would be better package then Jones.
Walcott is 17 so 5 years younger then jones and already rated higher on the top 100 white Sox aren’t trying to win today but in a few years.
Because Carter and Langford are “sure bets” and Jones has not reached that status yet.
Because that’s all they want from the Yankees it’s that easy
The Rangers have better prospects than the Yankees and Langford and Carter are better prospects than Jones.
Touché.
Sure..unless baltimore, the cubs, brewers,padres rays or tigers decide they want him more….according to mlb those farm systems all rank higher than texas
When the winter began I thought cease was a good target for the padres. Shedding payroll, cease contract fits right in and keeps them below the tax. They have the prospects but then the rumored asking price for cease came out and it no longer seemed ideal.
Perhaps that price has come down some now that we hear the Yankees and rangers back involved. The padres obviously aren’t moving Merrill or Salas. I wonder if they would be willing to move some of their pitching prospects. They have a ton of them and a ton of outfield prospects.
As an O’s fan, with the best farm system in the MLB, I’m praying we don’t cough up a top prospect for this guy. I think he can be a great pitcher, but I’ve never seen a player so overpriced.
The White Sox are like the guy trying to sell some trinket on E-Bay for $10,000, hoping a drunk buyer steps up.
As an O’s fan, I would still probably prefer Mike Elias not meet Getz’s reportedly astronomical asking price after already dealing away Hall and Ortiz for Burnes, especially now that his market is picking up again, but Cease is definitely not a “trinket.”
Come on, man.
Holiday, Basallo and Mayo are all basically untouchable. If Getz is demanding one of them then can’t see the Os making a deal. Anyone else in the minors perhaps.
Sn – that comment would have been wrong last week, but at least arguable. Yet, you break it out on the day where 3 teams are now very interested again because of inevitable spring injuries.
Sn, I have a pretty solid rule (confirmed here) that anyone who uses the term “butt hurt” can be ignored. So yeah, this will be my last reply.
I couldn’t care less about the bears, and ‘a bit’ just means u didn’t have the balls to go all in on your opinion. The truth is, we have no idea if they overplayed anything, because nothing has actually happened yet.
Referring to the Sox / Cease…. you can’t have overplayed your hand if it’s not time to lay the cards down. They should be “overplaying” their hand right now. The only way they have overplayed their hand is if Cease gets hurt or sucks bad before the deadline.
You explained it better, and without any cool terms like clown, but you are still missing the point. If they get Jones from the Yankees or one of the top Os prospects like Mayo, then they didn’t overplay anything, they played it perfectly. I have no idea if they will, but neither do you so I just think it’s too early to tell.
I feel that the Sox are going through a “transition year” with an eye towards 2025/2026. IK you think I’m crazy. All off-season they are adding depth to the ML and MILB roster which shouldn’t be a bad thing.
Last thing on the topic now that we have some data. I think the Sox did just fine by waiting, and I’m happy with the return.
Not sure who “most” are, do they live in the Niagara Falls area?
Anyway, the 3 guys on the athletic gave the Sox 2 A- and a B-, and Rosenthal mentioned a huge return.
I suppose you think Getz turned down such a gigantic haul early in the offseason that this trade was bad, but I’m leaning toward this being the best offer he got all winter.
Put down the shovel. You said they overplayed their hand, which implies they asked for too much and would end up with a sht return. Otherwise, there’s no ‘overplay’. It’s just a ‘play’. You have no idea what they initially asked for (other than your Orioles whining about it being too much).
We agree they got a good return, maybe we just leave it there.
Great point…hahaha!
Every team that contacts them won’t give up their top prospects so I don’t know where this is going but Getz should wait it out. Doesn’t look like the Orioles is ever going to happen. With the Rangers untouchables, I can’t see that either… the Yankees call and the #84 prospect is a non-starter? Really? How do you expect to get a deal done? Just hang up on them.
Texas package beats yanks period
Texas plain and simple should just bring back Monty. Without him Rangers don’t win first championship. Zero loyalty.
Rangers have potential money problems due to their wobbly cable tv deal. Otherwise they probably would bring him back.
They can’t afford Monty. The only way the Rangers are adding starting pitching for this season is via trade, preferably with some salary going out as well.
White Sox were wise to hold on to Cease and not cave in weeks ago. Now they have the upper hand with teams more interested (not desperate yet) to acquire him.
They will definitely get a better package now than at the trade deadline. They have to take that into consideration also.
Yeah better to trade him soon before he risks having a wobbly start to the season. Then again if they wait to trade him and he’s pitching well then his value could notch a bit higher.
Nah, the Sox had an insane price on him to start. Likely either that price has come down or teams have just checked back in to see if that price has dropped.
No team, before, now or later is meeting the rumored asking price to start this winter.
Would love to see a team be competitive without having to buy all five starters off the free agency market.
Can’t believe we’re still talking about Cease on March 12.
Teams are making contingency plans in case the worst news comes to be, such as the Yankees with Cole. I personally didn’t expect Cease to be moved until the trade deadline but here we are.
This is the song that never ends.
It just goes on and on, my friend.
Dylan Ceaseless
I know it’s just spring, but good day for Cease to strike out 8 in 3 1/3 while throwing 98 and a nasty slider.
Yankees prospects are better..after Langford there a steep drop off of talent in the Rangers system.
Walcott is better then jones what do you mean he’s 17 years old and rated higher then jones.
Again I ask – what’s wrong with Beiber? He’s be less expensive to acquire because he’s a FA after the year…
Bieber’s thrown 1 inning in spring, walked 3 guys and is throwing as hard as Phil niekro right now. And has 1 year not 2. Not in the same league anymore – and will have to show at least something before anyone would risk even a 2nd tier prospect on him now
People don’t like that he doesn’t throw 97-98 mph
If you mean Bieber, then I don’t think he has to throw 98… but when he was great he was throwing 94, and last year was down to 91 and is less this year. It will just be difficult to be successful as he’ll need to be super precise at those lower velos.
If the Sox asking price is the same they will want 3-4 of the Rangers top 5 prospects.
Walcott- Brock porter – jack Leiter and two more low prospect guys
Throw in Justin Foscue he’s right outside the top 100 mlb ready.
White Sox could just hold him til the deadline.
I thought they would until today
If I’m white sox I go all in for Langford. He’s as good as any prospect in baseball and is a sure fire all star. Plus they have all the other holes on their roster
Robert
Cease
Langford
Foscue
Porter
Lieter
Palino Santana
How could Chicago do any better ?
White Sox won’t trade LRJ. They already planned to build a new core around him.
And Colson Montgomery
New White Sox Core?
LRJ
Colson M
Bryan Ramos
Edgar Quero
AV and AB
Could be an ok core at best.
Colson Montgomery has a high probability of being a bust and has no business being a top 10 prospect. Don’t count on him until he plays a full season of ball at AA
I’m not saying he’s ready to make his debut. He’s probably 1 to 1 1/2 seasons away at best. No guarantees any prospects are bust in the first place.
Langford is the Next Mike Trout he’s batting 3rd for rangers on opening day book it.
He should have been the first overall pick in the draft
Seager hits 2nd Langford 3rd Adolis 4 and Carter 5
White Sox are only interested in prospects other teams consuder “off the table” in multiples
Who blinks first?
I think someone ends up giving Chicago 4+ legitimate prospects w/ at least 2 of them top 100.
Eventually
Yes rangers will give them 2 top 100 and 4 total in the top 150 Foscue and Leiter will be the 3rd and 4th prospects in the deal behind Walcott and Brock porter #71 prospect and # 88 prospects in top 100.
PER Ken Rosenthal Rangers are now seen as front runners
Peak Grifol “I don’t know. I mean, how am I supposed to know that,”. What an absolute dolt. The Grifol hire further cemented Reinsdorf and the white sox as an utterly unserious organization. Sounds like Cease might be moved soon. Bet he is rejoicing.
White Sox could just hold him til the deadline. They’ve been an unserious organization the last 10 years.
People really need to let the “Cease to Baltimore” thing go.
It’s just not happening.
Why ? He’s in their budget and they have the need and the capital and they just did the exact same trade 2 weeks ago lol. Dream a lil playa
Mike Elias isn’t gutting the stacked farm system he spent years building in one offseason for 3 total combined years of 2 pitchers, nor should he.
I don’t know why everyone thinks he’ll bounce back and have a fantastic year. a 2 mph loss might indicate future arm problems. probably this year.
He’s back to form this spring. Struck out 8 of 10 batters faced last night. Bout as good as spring performance I’ve seen this year so far
The Tiger FO, still sleeping……
They would be encouraged to do anything to get Langford.
I think the Rangers front office thinks highly of Langford even more than us fans. I doubt any package would include him.
Degrom
Scherzer
Eovaldi
Cease
Gray
Nasty
Cease is actually the ace of that staff. He’s always been better than Eovaldi and the first two guys are hurt or busy watching their grandkids or smtg like that
Tyler Mahle will be in the mix, too. He could send Gray to the bullpen in the playoffs, bolstering both the starting staff and relief corps.
Sebastian Walcott as a long term high upside piece and Justin foscue as an mlb ready successor for moncada would be a good get for the sox, maybe add a lower level pitching prospect as a throw in too.
Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez for Cease.
A modern day Chris Archer. Gets you a lot of strikeouts and nothing else.
Possible move to force the Yankees to give up their overrated prospect who’s not dominating the minors. Good strategy on Texas’ part to get in on Cease.
Many teams have discovered that it’s not that hard to get the Yankees to do stupid things. Good job by the Rangers, aka, Champions.
It’s not that the Yanks would be stupid. It’s silly to think Jones is untouchable when he’s not tearing up the minors. If he’s “can’t miss”, he’s way behind schedule.
I agree, Jones is intriguing as a prospect but the Yankees and their fan base are acting like he is the second coming of Harper.
I’m not a huge fan of depleting farm systems but with the money the Yankees have spent and moves they made, they need to be “all in” right now. And also, last I checked they have Dominguez and Judge in the outfield. Dealing an outfield prospect isn’t the end of the world.
You can’t over play your hand with a pitcher with that low of a salary
Don’t blame Cease for wanting to get out of there.
I’m struggling to find any reason to join a club, such as the Chicago White Sox.
I can think of four pitchers right now that would love to join the White Sox…
$
I thought all along the Rays were a sleeper for Cease, but maybe it’s Texas. All the chatter about Yankees, Os and Reds was just that, nothing serious. The refreshing thing to hear is what Texas IS WILLING to move (apparently) in an effort to get Cease instead of what they WON’T move. The names Rosenthal has put out there, Leiter, Duran, Porter are intriguing names. There are other possibilities as well, Foscue, Harris, Stephan, even Walcott. Rangers have the bullets to get this done if they are willing and they still have a great young team and they’d still have quality pieces remaining on their farm.
Rays aren’t sleepers; just asleep
A starting rotation fronted by Snell, Montgomery, Clevinger and Lorenzen is available, two weeks from Opening Day. Crazy.
“If healthy, that’s still a solid front four.”
Counterpoint: No, it is not.
It’s a solid top three. Heaney is best suited as a swing man.
What the Yankees are offering isn’t a bad trade.
Of course we were interested and yet we have nothing to show for it. And still haven’t signed Monty either. It’s OK I’m sure the rotation is totallyyyyy gonna be fine