The Atlanta Braves were linked to numerous starting pitchers available in MLB free agency and potentially on the trade block this offseason. But nothing materialized for the team.
The Braves will likely enter the 2025 campaign with no significant starting pitcher additions over the winter.
But that won’t stop MLB pundits from mentioning the Braves in potential mid-season trade rumors. On Feb. 27, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicted San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease to finish the 2025 campaign in Atlanta.
“San Diego’s AJ Preller and Atlanta’s Alex Anthopoulos have only made one trade since the latter joined his current club in late 2017, and it was a bit of a nothing swap two Decembers ago,” Miller wrote. “But pairing the mustachioed Cease with the mustachioed Spencer Strider, even if it’s just for a few months, might be the motivation necessary to bring the two wheelers-and-dealers together for a slight blockbuster.”
All jokes aside, Cease would be a terrific addition to the Braves starting rotation. That’s why he’s been a rumored trade target for Atlanta over the past several weeks.
A Milton, Ga. native, Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.067 WHIP and 224 strikeouts in 189.1 innings last season. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting. Cease was the American League Cy Young runner up while with the Chicago White Sox in 2022.
The Padres are dealing with ownership issues, which has hurt the team’s ability to spend this offseason. Cease will be an unrestricted free agent next winter, which has turned him into a trade candidate due to doubts around San Diego’s ability to compete in 2025.
Atlanta would be a great landing spot for Cease because the Braves lost both Max Fried and Charlie Morton this offseason.
There’s still time for the Braves to acquire Cease before the 2025 season begins. That would allow the Braves to have the best possible roster from Opening Day, which could be key in what is expected to be a very competitive NL East.
Acquiring Cease during the season, though, will be cheaper and could cost less in trade compensation. Because he’s a pending free agent, Cease will be a rental player if shopped in July.
The right-hander will make $13.75 million in 2025.
Cease is 57-46 with a 3.75 ERA in his career. Most importantly for the Braves, he’s been an innings eater, throwing at least 165 frames each of the past four seasons.
Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, and Spencer Schwellenbach are set to be the team’s top three starters until Spencer Strider returns from his 2024 surgery. But the Braves are currently counting on some combination of A.J. Smith-Shawver, Ian Anderson, Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes to earn two starting rotation spots until then.