Earlier this week, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that the Braves are involved in trade negotiations with the White Sox for Dylan Cease. Now, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi is reporting those negotiations have really ramped up over the last couple of days, citing that the Braves are indeed “finalists” for the White Sox ace.
Sources: Dylan Cease trade talks have intensified in the last 48 hours, and some people close to the negotiations believe a deal *before* the winter meetings is increasingly possible.
Cease’s hometown Braves are among the finalists. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 29, 2023
Dylan Cease might be the best option available for trade this offseason. His 2023 wasn’t up to par with his lofty standards, but he finished second in the AL Cy Young race in 2022, recording a 2.20 ERA and 11.9 K/9.
On top of that, Dylan Cease comes with multiple years of control. He isn’t scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2025 season, and even though he’s a client of Scott Boras — who is notorious for gouging every cent out of clubs for his clients — there has to be some semblance of hope the Braves can work on an extension with Cease, who is from Milton, Georgia.
Set to turn 28 years old in about a month, Dylan Cease would be a home run for Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves, whether they work out an extension or not. He might challenge Spencer Strider for the most talented pitcher on the staff, and he would instantly give Atlanta arguably the best pitching staff in the sport, to go along with the best offense.
To say the Braves would be favorites for the next couple of seasons if they can land Dylan Cease would not be doing the situation justice. Adding a pitcher of his caliber to this team would almost be unfair to the rest of the league. Anything less than a World Series over the next two years would be a massive disappointment.
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Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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