The Chicago White Sox traded right-hander Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres, according to multiple reports on Wednesday night.
Cease was the runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2022 when he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 184 innings.
According to reports, the White Sox will receive minor league right-handers Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte in the deal. Thorpe was acquired by San Diego in the offseason deal that sent slugger Juan Soto to the New York Yankees.
Cease will earn $8 million this season, making the salary a fit for the Padres, who watched starting pitchers Blake Snell (2023 National League Cy Young winner), Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha depart as free agents after last season.
Last season, Cease went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA but still struck out 214 in 177 innings. It marked his third straight season of at least 200 strikeouts.
Overall, Cease is 43-35 with a 3.83 ERA in 123 starts over five seasons with the White Sox.
According to MLB Pipeline, Thorpe was San Diego’s No. 5 prospect and Iriarte was No. 8.
Thorpe, 23, had a 14-2 record and 2.52 ERA in 23 starts last season between Class A and Double-A in the Yankees’ system.
Iriarte, 22, went 3-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 27 appearances (21 starts) between Class A and Double-A last season.
