Dylan Cease to the Cubs and what it may look like for the Padres

Credit: USA Today Sports

A look at what the San Diego Padres may be looking for in return for Dylan Cease if he were traded to the Chicago Cubs.Â
The San Diego Padres have been eerily quiet this winter.
A.J. Preller is not one to stand idle, so you know the team is about to make a splash.
Traditionally, February is the month in which the team has historically done the most damage.
This week, at the Padres’ Fan Fest, Preller indicated that the team is looking for a few bats and arms to add to the roster. This is no surprise, as the team currently has Tirso Ornelas penciled in as the starting left fielder. There is also a glaring hole at the DH position, where the Padres want to add an offensive weapon.
Preller indicated the team is also exploring obtaining a few pitchers. Dylan Cease seems like a strange player to trade, as his price tag ($13.75 million) for the 2025 season is certainly affordable. But the Padres know the likelihood of re-signing the pitcher after the year is slim. The Padres want to maximize the return now, and with pitching at a premium, they just may get their asking price for the right-handed pitcher.
The Chicago Cubs are positioning themselves for a fruitful run in 2025. Newly acquired Kyle Tucker is on a one-year deal, and the team views the coming season as an excellent opportunity to make the playoffs and do some damage in the postseason. They are built to win now.
For the Padres, the Cubs match well in a potential trade. Their system is burgeoning, and several young players are ready for major league action.
San Diego would love to add low-cost, young players to their roster as they seem maxed out in payroll. With a handful of players guaranteed around a billion dollars for the next decade, the Padres simply cannot add stars from the free-agent market as they have done in the past. They need to be calculated in their additions.
In a trade for Cease, a young pitcher is an excellent starting point in a trade.
Ben Brown is one of the Cubs prized young pitchers. The 25-year-old debuted last year in Chicago and flashed a lot of potential. The right-handed pitcher went 1-3 last season with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.084 WHIP in 15 games and eight starts in Chicago. He struck out 64 batters in 55 innings pitched while walking 19 hitters. The 6-foot-6 pitcher is polished and ready for action in the majors. That is something the Padres covet.
In his second career start in the majors last season, Brown held the Diamondbacks to one run in six innings of work.
For Chicago, trading Brown would be difficult. But the Cubbies realize that Cease is a sure thing. He would slot into the top of the rotation. For a team built to win now, solidifying the rotation is optimal for success. They cannot be picky.
Brown attacks hitters with a power fastball that reaches the high 90s in terms of velocity. His slider is a strikeout pitch that sits in the 85-87 mph range. Brown needs to refine a third pitch but has the stuff to become a reliable starter in the league. In 2023, Brown missed some time with a lat injury. He was limited to 19 starts but stuck out 130 batters in 92.2 innings pitched. His health does not seem like an issue now.
The Padres covet Brown’s ability to earn a strikeout and realize he is just scratching the surface of his potential. Ben Brown is under team control through the 2029 season. That will be key for the Padres as they search for pitchers who can develop in San Diego under the guidance of Ruben Niebla.
Along with Brown, the Padres would love to add Matt Shaw.
The 23-year-old infielder is penciled in as the starting third baseman for the Cubs in 2025. However, the Cubs are rumored to be one of the finalists for Alex Bregman, who is a free agent. That would likely make Shaw expendable to some degree. The Cubs may be willing to move the youngster.
Shaw is one of the better prospects in the game and would be a massive addition to the Padres. The right-handed hitter has yet to debut in the majors, but most agree he will be ready in 2025. Shaw owns a career .906 OPS in the minors over 159 games. The first-round pick (13th overall) in the 2023 draft out of the University of Maryland is capable of being a solid major leaguer.
The 5-foot-9 infielder is capable of playing all over the infield, including shortstop. Despite his size, he has plus power and features a very good eye at the plate. The Padres may covet Shaw’s ability to play shortstop as a backup plan to Xander Bogaerts. The Padres have already committed to Bogaerts at shortstop for 2025, but we are only one season removed from the Padres moving the veteran out of the position. The idea is to have flexibility, and Shaw would provide that for San Diego.
The Cubs would balk at dealing both these prospects for a rental, but the Padres certainly have the ability to spice up the deal for Chicago.
Robert Suarez has been mentioned as a possible option for the Cubs as they look to strengthen their bullpen. The Padres may be hesitant to include him in a deal, but it makes some sense. San Diego also has young pitchers and prospects who may interest the Cubs. Throwing in Randy Vasquez or Jhony Brito with Cease may be enticing enough for the Cubs to trade two prospects. San Diego also has several young prospects who could even out a potential deal.
Trading Cease seems like a backward move for the Padres.
It may be viewed that way, but the idea is to improve in the long run. Adding two prospects is a risk, but Preller and his staff have a great idea of the value of young players. At this point, the team would be wise to maximize the return for a pitcher they cannot afford to sign long-term.

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.