In the crowded National League West, the San Diego Padres ended the season a few steps behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Over the past three years, San Diego has struggled to stay up with the Dodgers, and the distance between the two teams may widen throughout the offseason.
Due to the contracts of Dylan Cease and Michael King expiring at the end of the season, the Padres’ top two pitchers are currently in free agency. The Padres will probably not be able to get both pitchers back, which would be detrimental to their future.
According to a recent prediction by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Cease would get a huge seven-year contract worth a total of $175 million.
Heyman noted, “There will be teams believing they can find consistency because he has great stuff (200 Ks five straight years) and practically unmatched durability (he leads MLB in starts since 2021).”
At this price, the Padres probably won’t be able to keep Cease. They would be far better served pursuing a new contract with the previously mentioned King, who ought to sign for a lot less than Cease.
The Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves, and Baltimore Orioles could all be good fits for the talented right-hander.
Any team that is prepared to give up well over $150 million for Cease’s services might sign him to a hefty contract. There is enough swing and miss from him to justify such a big deal. When all is considered, Cease is among baseball’s more powerful pitchers.