The San Diego Padres are in the middle of a huge season for the franchise. After a busy trade deadline, the Padres are aiming for the top spot in the NL West, along with a deep postseason run.
Regardless of how the season ends up, Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease is expected to hit free agency and depart the Padres in the offseason. R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports made a bold prediction for Cease, believing the Padres starter will earn north of $21 million per year in his free agent deal.
"... He ought to receive a nice payday all the same, thanks to an electric arsenal and strong underlying measures." Anderson writes. "Keep in mind, Walker Buehler received a $21 million contract last winter despite having a worse season (and a worse bill of health), suggesting that Cease should beat that, likely by a significant amount."
Cease is expected to depart in the offseason, and the Padres might not be as upset considering what he's predicted to get. Anderson predicts Cease will land a deal well north of $21 million per year.
It's a huge amount of money, and based on his play this season, even as a starting pitcher, it might not be worth it. Across his 24 starts in 2025, the 29-year-old has a 4.52 ERA and a 5-10 record.
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His 169 strikeouts are among the best in the league, but he's struggled a bit this season overall, evident by his 94 ERA+ on the year, the lowest since his rookie season back in 2019 with the Chicago White Sox.
Teams will likely line up to sign Cease in the offseason, as starting pitchers aren't easy to come by. But the Padres aren't expected to re-sign the veteran pitcher, and his contract prediction further signifies why the Padres might be okay letting him walk.
San Diego could also bring Michael King back, someone who will also fetch a strong deal in the offseason. But his 2.81 ERA is significantly better than Cease's this season.
Anderson's prediction for Cease's contract in the offseason is incredibly high. The former Cy Young runner-up is poised to earn a huge payday in the offseason, and the Padres aren't the ones expected to make such an offer.
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