Dylan Cease is a free agent after 2025, and the Padres appear open to trade offers. With that, here are his best trade fits.

Buster Olney of ESPN reported that starting pitcher Dylan Cease could be available at the MLB trade deadline. San Diego is open to moving its All-Star pitcher, especially in a market thin on front-line starters. In return, the Padres want MLB talent who can help them win in October.

The Padres acquired King in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade with the New York Yankees before the 2024 season, and he has flourished in San Diego—making Cease an expendable asset. Over 41 appearances with the Padres, King has compiled a 2.86 ERA, a 17–11 record, and 265 strikeouts over 229.1 innings.

Amaya is a gem, but the Cubs are loaded at catcher, with the reliable Carson Kelly locked in as the go-to starter and Reese McGuire as a solid backup. And lest we forget, 21-year-old phenom Moises Ballesteros is waiting in the wings.

Outside of Padres pitcher Dylan Cease, San Diego has been getting interest from other pitching prospects as the MLB trade deadline gets closer.

The San Diego Padres have entertained the idea of trading Dylan Cease, as he continues to underperform in the final year of his contract. But getting rid of Cease in the middle of a Wild Card chase feels counteproductive,

Subtracting Cease would create a large hole in a rotation that has struggled at times, but could give A.J. Preller the trade chips his own system lacks.