One of two Padres aces, Dylan Cease, is coming off a fourth-place finish in 2024 National League Cy Young voting. Will he be able to replicate last year’s performance? Here are some thoughts.

After being traded to the Padres last March, Dylan Cease endured another winter of buzzing trade rumors from league executives and reporters. “It’s just part of the business, really.” Cease would say at Padres FanFest in early February.

Maintaining a very stoic composure whenever asked on the subject, Cease made one thing clear: “I love San Diego.” Luckily for him, he’s still a Padre.

“The fanbase is as electric and passionate as any. The whole city is watching.”

Despite being the subject of trade rumors this offseason, Dylan Cease is ready to play ball in sunny SoCal?:#Padres | #SpringTrainingTour
? https://t.co/3lNMHjejQd pic.twitter.com/F3VfaeFygK

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) March 9, 2025

San Diego has tabbed him as the starting pitcher for the second of a four-game series during Opening Day weekend at Petco Park versus the Atlanta Braves. His most recent start against Atlanta came on July 13 last season, where he completely stifled the Braves’ bats. He’d pitch to a final line of 11 strikeouts while only surrendering one hit across six innings of work in a 4-0 shutout victory for the Friars.

But the start versus Atlanta wasn’t the only stellar outing of his 2024 campaign. He was overall dominant on the mound. When A.J. Preller traded three highly touted prospects to the Chicago White Sox for Cease, he envisioned him being the ace who could deliver performances like that every five days. Cease would go on to toss the second no-hitter in Padres history on July 25 and would cruise to end the season with 3.47 ERA, 224 strikeouts, which ranked second in the National League, and 189.1 innings pitched. Needless to say, he’s an absolute workhorse.

Dylan Cease NO HITTER!!! ? pic.twitter.com/fsbZXA2Fec

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 25, 2024

A Defining 2025

San Diego hopes to get the same or even a better version of Cease for the 2025 campaign. After a spring start versus the Cincinnati Reds, manager Mike Shildt talked about Cease: “Gosh man, Dylan was as good as you can be,” Shildt said. He continued, saying, “Whether it was spring training, the regular season or the playoffs … that was impressive. He’s obviously been very successful in this league with two plus/plus pitches — the exceptional fastball and the wipeout slider.”

The manager continued with: “And now he’s going to add a legitimate, swing-and-miss/soft contact changeup, and then he’s able to run a two-seamer inside. So you have to protect both sides of the plate. You have to protect east/west and north/south.”

Dylan Cease continued to weave in more sinker today and it looks like he is throwing an actual changeup again

The fastball and slider combo is already elite so it’s great to see adjusting his usage and weaving in different pitches pic.twitter.com/cNfLNjaEhO

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) March 6, 2025

According to Baseball Savant, Cease ranks in the 100th percentile in Breaking Run Value and in the 92nd percentile in Whiff %, with a rate of 32.4. His slider, an opposing hitter’s kryptonite, carries a vertical drop of 33.6 inches and horizontal run of 2.2 inches glove side. Simply un-hittable when locked-in.

That is exactly how he looked in his last two starts of Cactus League play. He struck out 17 hitters in 10 innings while surrendering no runs and only five base hits. He’s ready.

Dylan Cease’s 9 Ks. Had 18 total whiffs including 4 whiffs with his changeup pic.twitter.com/NbAXToxvc1

— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) March 22, 2025

Cease and co-ace Michael King will head San Diego’s rotation this season. With Yu Darvish sidelined to start 2025, Nick Pivetta, newcomer Kyle Hart, and Randy Vazquez will be the supporting cast that will fill the back end of the Padres’ starting five. The success of the pitching staff is a group effort, but it becomes much easier with one basic thought: Can Cease be Cease and King be King? Things have the potential to be fine, no?

When on, he’s arguably the most effective right-hander in the league. His pitching is tamed but ferocious. Brute and lethal. The Padres are a better team with him than without him. As all the trade rumors can now subside and Opening Day weekend approaches, now would be a great opportunity to enjoy a read of ‘O’ Slider Slide’.

Armando Dueñas

Armando Dueñas is a 25 year-old journalist. He is a native San Diegan who grew up in the South Bay area. A lifelong Padres fan and baseball enthusiast, he resides just about fifteen minutes from Petco Park, where his love of the game began.