SAN DIEGO-- As Padres pitcher Dylan Cease spoke to reporters hours before the Wednesday afternoon finale versus the Mets, the television airing MLB Network near his locker reported he was a top trade target of the Houston Astros.
For Cease, who was traded by the Chicago White Sox to San Diego at the end of spring training in 2024, it's just a standard element of the business.
"I'm just focusing on baseball, honestly. Just focusing on what I've got to do. It's just a part of the game and I really don't spend too much time like worrying about it."
Cease is considered one of the top starting pitchers known to be available on the trade market, and made what is likely his last start for San Diego on Monday. The right-hander showed flashes of dominance in the first, striking out the side, suffered a scary liner to the head in the third inning and departed in the fifth after giving up a grand slam to Mark Vientos.
Cease, who finished sixth in National League Cy Young voting in 2024, has had a very disappointing 2025 in his walk season, going 3-10 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.54 WHIP.
Asked if he felt he had unfinished business with the Padres after an early playoff exit in 2024, the 29-year-old said he hopes to have a chance to turn things around in San Diego.
"We definitely had a great team last year, we felt good about our chances. I really would like the opportunity to contribute more than I have this year but it's baseball and you never know what's going to happen."