Mets eye trade for Padres' pitcher Dylan Cease

The New York Mets are facing injury challenges in their starting pitching. They will start the season without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Even though both pitchers are expected to return later, the Mets may seek a trade to improve their rotation. Dylan Cease, a pitcher for the San Diego Padres, has been mentioned as a potential trade target. CBS Sports reports that Cease could be on the move before the trade deadline. The Padres are likely to consider trading players with high salaries, especially if their season does not go as planned. Cease, who has a contract worth $13.75 million for 2025, is considered a top talent. He has placed in the top five for the Cy Young Award twice and had a strong showing last season with a 3.47 ERA and 224 strikeouts. He has consistently started over 30 games each year for the past four seasons. If traded, Cease would greatly strengthen the Mets' rotation, which they need to compete with the powerful Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres may want to keep Cease for longer, as he will become a free agent after this season. However, acquiring him would likely require the Mets to offer several younger, less expensive players in return.