With ace Gerrit Cole undergoing season-ending elbow surgery and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil sidelined for at least three months, the New York Yankees have looked into adding a top-tier arm to their rotation.
MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees are one of nine teams that have contacted the San Diego Padres about Dylan Cease. According to Heyman, all five AL East teams are interested in Cease, as well as the Mets, Cubs, and two other unnamed teams monitoring the talented right-hander. Cease is in the final year of his current contract with the Padres, and rumors suggest the Padres may need to cut payroll this season. While the Padres have not decided whether to trade him, insiders believe a deal is unlikely before Opening Day.
After being traded from the White Sox to the Padres, Cease led the majors with 33 starts, finishing 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a career-high 224 strikeouts in 189 1/3 innings. He placed fourth in National League Cy Young voting. With Cole out for the season due to Tommy John surgery, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman acknowledged that external pitching options are limited. Cease’s potential availability could alter the Yankees’ approach, but their depleted farm system could limit what they can offer.
The Yankees urgently need an established starter who can eat innings, which Cease has consistently done in recent years. At 29, Cease would immediately slot near the top of New York’s rotation alongside Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman, and Clarke Schmidt. Cashman has a history of making last-minute deals, and acquiring Cease would provide a significant upgrade—precisely the reliable arm the Yankees need to stabilize their pitching staff as they head into the crucial 2025 season.
