3 Free Agent Landing Spots for Dylan Cease

He's twice been a Top-4 finisher in Cy Young balloting over the previous three seasons, but 2025 is back to being another one of those somewhat disappointing years for San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease. He's 8-12 with a 4.64 ERA. 

Nevetheless, leading the majors with 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings, Cease is still a No. 3 starter for a playoff-bound team, and he will be a sought-after commodity on the free agent market this offseason. 

Let's take an early look at 3 free agent landing spots for Dylan Cease. 

Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are in desperate need of beefing up their starting rotation if they hope to make a run next season. Now, where have we heard that before? They lost their ace Corbin Burnes in free agency last winter, and did nothing to replace him. They haven't swung any significant trades for a starting pitcher, either. And so the weak link in the team will continue until they spend some money on the rotation. Could Cease be the turning point?

Toronto Blue Jays

The Jays will be losing potentially three-fifths of their starting rotation in free agency after the season. Both Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt are on the final year (the only year, in Mad Max's case) of their contracts, while deadline acquisition Shane Bieber can opt out of his $16 million player option and become a free agent. The former Cy Young winner has looked excellent in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, and it's likely he'll look for a big multi-year deal. 

With those three holes in the rotation, the Jays could look to fill one of them with Cease. They were one of the teams showing interest in him back at this season's trade deadline when the Friars were listening to offers.

San Francisco Giants

The Giants will be in need of adding a starter this offseason, and why not poach an arm from their division rival Padres? Cease didn't fare that well against them in his two starts this season, but over the course of eight starts in his career against San Fran, Cease has posted nice numbers with a 3.59 ERA and 11.2 K/9. He'll likely be on the Giants' radar. 

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