How a Potential Dylan Cease Trade Has Been Impacted by the Corbin Burnes Deal

Cross off another team that could have possibly traded for Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease.

The Baltimore Orioles were a long-rumored trade partner for the Sox since they desperately needed a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

Instead of paying the high price the Sox were demanding, the Orioles have turned to the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire an ace.

The Brewers get back a pitcher who was a force out of the bullpen late in 2023 and is primed to join the rotation. They also picked up an infield prospect who had a cup of coffee with the Orioles and finished the season ranked sixth among their prospects. The Orioles have one of the best farm systems in baseball.

Not a bad return even though Burnes has won a Cy Young. The reason the Brewers were only able to get two players back and a pick is that Burnes is set to be a free agent after this season. He will test the market since he is represented by Scott Boras.

This deal hurts the White Sox.

It hurts the Sox because it removes a team from bidding for Cease. The Atlanta Braves confirmed they are out on trading for Cease.

The Seattle Mariners recently came up as a team interested in acquiring Cease. If there is no one else bidding, the Sox really cannot drive up the price to land Cease. Plus, the Orioles had the pitcher and the infielder that the White Sox could have used. Instead, they are going to Milwaukee.

Also, it limits just how much general manager Chris Getz can expect to get back for Cease. There were rumors that he was demanding four players back from the Cincinnati Reds. Well, the market is set at two players, possibly three since the Brewers took a tradeable draft pick instead of another prospect.

Let's look further at how else it impacts the Sox.