Dylan Cease has emerged as one of the most coveted starting pitchers at the 2025 MLB trade deadline, but it appears one American League contender is chasing the San Diego Padres righty the hardest.
The Houston Astros need starting pitching, and they have been connected to Cease for a few days now. On Wednesday, The Athletic's Jim Bowden said Cease will “probably” wind up in Houston.
Dylan Cease to the Astros will probably happen, says @JimBowdenGM. 👀 pic.twitter.com/SBtAfVaGGL
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 30, 2025
The Padres currently occupy a wild-card spot, but with Cease approaching free agency, general manager A.J. Preller seems willing to move him. In 22 starts this season, the 29-year-old is 3-10, with a 4.79 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and 153 strikeouts in 118 1/3 innings. On the upside, his xFIP of 3.39 makes those numbers look much better.
We'll see what happens as we approach the deadline. The Padres have several serious needs to address. Moving Cease might give them the ammo to make another splash before the deadline passes.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dylan Cease Being Chased Hard by American League Contender Before Trade Deadline.