Chicago White Sox Rumors: Team to listen on offers for Dylan Cease

There might have been a shift with the Chicago White Sox and their inclination to trade starting pitcher Dylan Cease ahead of the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline on August 1.

The White Sox have begun their sell-off ahead of Tuesday’s deadline and there is a chance that the team is not done as designated hitter/outfielder Eloy Jimenez is drawing interest. 

Jimenez was not included in the mix of players that the White Sox want to build around as they look to contend in 2024 but one player that certainly is, is Cease.

Cease won’t reach free agency until 2026 and has emerged as the ace of the White Sox’s rotation. Given the idea that the White Sox don’t spend heavily on starting pitching and the team has splintered relationship with Cease’s agent, Scott Boras, there has been a belief that the team should look to move their starting pitcher as a way to expedite their rebuild.

While stopping short of saying that the White Sox are shopping Cease, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported on Sunday that the team is willing to listen to offers from teams in regard to Cease.

"The White Sox are listening on Dylan Cease and everyone else on their roster. The perception among many in the industry is that Cease and center fielder Luis Robert Jr. remain all but untouchable. But some rival executives see the White Sox’s willingness to entertain offers as an opening, however small.-Ken Rosenthal via The Athletic"

The Chicago White Sox should trade Dylan Cease at the MLB Trade Deadline.

The White Sox need to be honest about their rebuild.

Based on their spending habits and the fact that the prospects that the team has acquired thus far won’t be a factor until, at the earliest, mid-season in 2024, the chances of the team being contenders next season is highly unlikely. Meaning, that will be a wasted season for Cease.

2025 may be the season that the White Sox return to competitive baseball and Cease will be approaching his age-30 season. Chances are that the when White Sox truly are good again, and that is a large assumption given the failure of their last rebuild, Cease will not be the ace of the rotation.

The correct move for the White Sox would be to move Cease before Tuesday as his trade value will never be higher and teams have shown an inclination to pay a steep price for starting pitching.