The Yankees are still searching for ways to reinforce their rotation after losing Gerrit Cole for the entire 2025 season. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, they recently reached out to the San Diego Padres to discuss a potential trade for ace Dylan Cease.
Cease, a 29-year-old right-hander, is coming off a strong 2024 campaign in which he posted a 3.47 ERA over 189.1 innings. His ability to stay healthy and provide consistent innings makes him an extremely attractive trade target for teams looking to solidify their rotation.
However, the Padres know exactly what they have and aren’t going to let him go for anything less than a substantial return.
What a Trade Package Might Look Like
Cease is in the final year of arbitration and is set to make $13.75 million in 2025 before hitting free agency. That means the Padres are dealing from a position of leverage, knowing they can either extend him, move him now for maximum value, or wait until the trade deadline when desperate contenders may pay a premium.
For the Yankees to pull off a deal, they’d likely have to include at least one controllable major league-ready pitcher, along with a top-10 prospect. The Padres, having already shipped Juan Soto to the Bronx last off-season, would likely be looking for more long-term pitching in return.
A trade package could start with right-hander Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, or even Will Warren.
It’s a hefty price, but with multiple teams— including the Mets and Cubs— also checking in, the bidding war could drive the price even higher.
The Financial Hurdle
Even if the Yankees were willing to meet the Padres’ demands, there’s still the issue of payroll. They’re already above the final luxury tax threshold, meaning every dollar spent beyond that comes with a dollar-for-dollar penalty. Adding Cease’s $13.75 million salary would cost them nearly $28 million in total once the tax is factored in.
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Brian Cashman has been hesitant to make any moves that push them further into tax territory, which is why a trade for Cease seems more like due diligence than a serious attempt to acquire him.
The Yankees would love to have another ace-caliber arm in the rotation, but with Max Fried leading the staff and Marcus Stroman, Clarke Schmidt, Carlos Rodón, and Will Warren rounding things out, they may ultimately decide to stand pat and hope their current group holds up.
With the season approaching, the Yankees are running out of time to make a major addition. If Cease is going to be in pinstripes, it will likely require an aggressive push that Cashman may not be willing to make.