With Opening Day fast approaching on Thursday, the New York Yankees still haven’t addressed the significant void in their starting rotation caused by Gerrit Cole’s absence. The team’s ace is out for the entire season following Tommy John surgery on March 11, with hopes of making a return by Opening Day next year. To make matters worse, reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil is also sidelined indefinitely with a strained oblique.
Without these two critical arms from last year’s World Series run, the Yankees are left in a tough spot. Their prized offseason acquisition, Max Fried, will now be relied upon as the staff’s leader. Carlos Rodón, who has struggled with consistency since arriving in the Bronx, has been named the Opening Day starter against the Milwaukee Brewers. Marcus Stroman is also back in the rotation, while veteran Carlos Carrasco and rookie Will Warren are expected to fill out the remaining spots.
What was once thought to be one of New York’s biggest strengths entering Spring Training—their starting pitching—has now turned into a glaring concern. To stabilize the rotation, general manager Brian Cashman and the front office must act quickly. Both Cashman and manager Aaron Boone have suggested they are monitoring the market in the coming days, but a greater sense of urgency is necessary. Acquiring another high-caliber starting pitcher, someone capable of forming a strong duo with Fried, is imperative. A potential trade with the San Diego Padres for Dylan Cease stands out as a viable solution. If that option is on the table, Cashman and his team should waste no time in making a deal.
Dylan Cease could provide the Yankees’ rotation with a crucial boost
Trade rumors linking Dylan Cease to the Yankees have been swirling throughout the offseason, and they’ve only intensified since Cole’s injury. A deal would make plenty of sense for both sides. First, the Padres are actively looking to cut payroll as they navigate an uncertain ownership situation following Peter Seidler’s passing. They allowed Jurickson Profar and Kyle Higashioka to walk in free agency without making significant replacements. Additionally, Cease is in the final year of his contract and is set to become a free agent after the season, entering his age-30 year. With his next deal likely to be a massive one, San Diego may be unwilling—or financially unable—to commit to him long-term.
That said, acquiring Cease won’t come cheap. While his price isn’t as steep as it was earlier in the winter, it’s still substantial. So, what might it take for Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office to get a deal done? Looking at the package they sent to San Diego for Juan Soto offers a clue. In that trade, Soto and Trent Grisham went to New York in exchange for Higashioka and four pitchers: Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vásquez. Thorpe was later flipped to the White Sox in the deal that brought Cease to San Diego.
A trade for Cease would likely have to be built around one of the Yankees’ top prospects, either infielder George Lombard Jr. or outfielder Spencer Jones. Lombard Jr. may not have a clear path in San Diego’s infield, but Jones could find an opportunity sooner rather than later. If Jones is the centerpiece, the Yankees could sweeten the deal with a couple of young arms, like last year’s first-round pick Ben Hess and rising prospect Cam Schlittler. Throwing in an outfielder like Everson Pereira—who could thrive with regular playing time—would also make sense for Padres GM A.J. Preller.
It’s a steep price, no doubt. Cease would also be leaving the West Coast for the high-pressure environment of New York, and he’d have to give up his beard to comply with the Yankees’ grooming policy. Still, his addition would immediately strengthen the Yankees’ rotation and could earn him a lucrative long-term deal—whether with the Yankees or elsewhere—if he stays healthy. And if Cease chose to stick around, a rotation featuring Cease, Fried, Cole, and Gil would be a nightmare for opponents in October. Isn’t that reason enough for Cashman to pull the trigger? Only one way to find out.
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