Chicago White Sox Rumors: No rush to trade Dylan Cease

A report on Wednesday night seemed to suggest that the Chicago White Sox were nearing a trade of starting pitcher Dylan Cease.

The rumor from Jon Morosi of MLB Network was that the trade market for Cease was intensifying with the idea being likely that a trade would occur before the start of the Winter Meetings next week.

A report on Thursday from Ken Rosenthal (Subscription Required) seemed to indicate that no trade is currently close as the White Sox may be waiting for the pitchers at the top of the free-agent market to sign. In addition to the idea that no trade is close, Rosenthal mentioned the Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds as teams that could have an interest in trading for Cease.

Previously this off-season, the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers have been identified as teams having trade discussions with the White Sox concerning Cease. Both the Orioles and Reds were teams that checked in on Cease at the Major League Baseball trade deadline this past season.

The White Sox shouldn’t be in any rush to trade Cease. A trade of Cease is not something that the White Sox are going to do for the mere purpose of making a trade. Trading Cease is going to represent the true start of the White Sox’s next rebuild as they are in a position to get a haul of top prospects for their current ace.

There is no reason for the White Sox to jump at the first trade offer that is proposed to them for Cease. The free-agent market for starting pitchers has seen some movement in the first month of the off-season with it putting the White Sox in a position to be at the center of trade discussions next week at the Winter Meetings.