The San Diego Padres surprised the baseball world by trading prospect Leo De Vries (MLB No. 3) to the Athletics for closer Mason Miller at the trade deadline.
What may be even more of a shock is the Padres not moving pitcher Dylan Cease.
Jon Heyman reported that the Houston Astros were progressing toward a trade involving Cease, but it never happened.
Cease, 29, is a free agent after this season and hasn’t been at his best this year. He is 4-10 with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in 23 starts this season.
However, not moving Cease could be a blessing in disguise for San Diego.
He is fourth in strikeouts (162) and is on pace to record 234. His 3.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio ties a career-high that he set last year.
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Having a strikeout pitcher in the playoffs sets your team up for success, and if Cease can continue his hot streak (two or less earned runs and nine or more strikeouts in three of his last four starts), the Padres will be even more built for a playoff run.
FanSided’s Quinn Everts believes Cease could be San Diego’s biggest trade deadline win if he continues to turn it around.
“If he settles down and pitches like a consistent mid-rotation arm he's been in the pretty recent past, keeping him will suddenly feel like another impressive deadline deal from the Padres,” wrote Everts.
It’s likely that San Diego believes that Cease will get back to form by October and considering the team is without Michael King and Joe Musgrove, Cease will be needed down the stretch.
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