Last week, the Boston Red Sox signed All-Star infielder Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract, seemingly using their trump card.
However, does Craig Breslow have a secret weapon?
Sean McAdam of MassLive said on Sunday that the Red Sox and the San Diego Padres had been “in touch” about a possible deal for right-hander Dylan Cease. Boston’s interest in Cease is “more to ‘due diligence’ level than it is to aggressive pursuit,” according to McAdam’s source. However, McAdam pointed out that the Red Sox “at least want to monitor the market” for Cease.
Boston’s interest in Cease is noteworthy, even though a deal does not appear to be near based on McAdam’s information. With at least 32 starts in four straight seasons and a 3.52 ERA overall, the 29-year-old has emerged as one of Major League Baseball’s most resilient pitchers in recent years.
After being traded to the Padres in the preseason, Cease continued to succeed in San Diego in 2024, as he recorded a 3.47 ERA over 33 starts with 224 strikeouts in 189.1 innings, after posting a career-best 2.20 ERA with the Chicago White Sox in 2022.
After acquiring Walker Buehler through free agency and Garrett Crochet through trade, the Red Sox currently have a six-man rotation. To acquire Cease, they would probably need to trade at least one starter in addition to a prospect or two. After playing the 2025 season on a one-year, $13.75 million contract, he would also be a free agency, so unless Boston can sign him to an extension after trading him, he would be a rental.
Given the Red Sox’s present rotational stalemate, a Cease trade does not appear to be a primary priority. However, Cease would provide Breslow and company with another reliable front-line starter to further strengthen a vital position. Pitching has been Boston’s weak point for a number of seasons.
The fact that the Red Sox are still looking for ways to strengthen the squad after signing Breslow is another indication that they are far more dedicated to this 2025 roster than in previous years, even if a Cease deal does not work out.
