The San Diego Padres finished the season a few steps behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the loaded National League West. San Diego hasn’t been able to keep up with the Dodgers over the last few years, and the gap between the two franchises could grow larger in the offseason.
The Padres have their top two pitchers sitting in free agency, as Dylan Cease and Michael King’s contracts both expired at the end of the season. The Padres likely won’t be able to bring back both pitchers, which could push the team in the wrong direction going forward.
“He has great stuff (200 strikeouts five straight years) and practically unmatched durability (he leads MLB in starts since 2021), and there will be teams believing they can find consistency,” wrote Jon Heyman.
The Padres likely won’t be able to retain Cease at a price tag like this. They’d be much better off chasing a new deal with the aforementioned King, who should sign for much less than Cease.
Several teams could work as fits for the star righty King, including the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox.
As for Cease, he could sign a huge deal with any team willing to offer well over $150 million for his services. He produces enough swing-and-miss to warrant such a large contract. When all the pieces are put together, Cease is one of the more dominant pitchers in baseball.
https://www.newsweek.com/padres-ace-projected-to-sign-7-year-175m-deal-after-215-strikeout-season-11035517