The San Diego Padres and starting pitcher Dylan Cease have reached an agreement on a one-year contract worth $13.75 million for the 2025 season, successfully avoiding arbitration, as reported by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. This agreement marks Cease's final year of arbitration eligibility, after which he is set to enter unrestricted free agency at the conclusion of the 2025 season. However, this settlement does not ensure that Cease will remain with the Padres when the next campaign commences.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand noted last month that Cease is among the starting pitchers who could be traded, with MLB Network's Jon Morosi mentioning the Boston Red Sox as one of the teams expressing interest. A former member of the Chicago White Sox, Cease was traded to San Diego last offseason in exchange for a package of prospects. At 29 years old, Cease notably had one of the best seasons of his career following the trade, exhibiting a record of 14-11 alongside a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 224 strikeouts over 189.1 innings pitched, including a notable no-hitter. Despite missing out on his first career All-Star selection, Cease finished fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting.

Although he exhibited exceptional performance during the 2024 regular season, Cease faced significant challenges during the playoffs, recording an 0-1 record with a 14.40 ERA over two starts. Nonetheless, he is expected to play a crucial role in San Diego's rotation for 2025, alongside teammates Michael King and Yu Darvish, provided he is not traded. The Padres, who have reached the playoffs three times in the past five seasons including a run to the National League Championship Series in 2022, face uncertainty regarding their plans for the upcoming season. After trading superstar outfielder Juan Soto and allowing ace starting pitcher Blake Snell to depart in free agency, the Padres have also seen catcher Kyle Higashioka leave as a free agent this offseason, with reliever Tanner Scott and outfielder Jurickson Profar still unsigned. With only minor league contracts added to the roster thus far, the Padres' strategy remains unclear. Despite these uncertainties, the team boasts a formidable top three in their rotation and a lineup that includes talented players such as Fernando Tatís Jr., Manny Machado, and Jake Cronenworth, indicating potential for contention even in a relatively unchanged roster. However, if the Padres do not foresee re-signing Cease before he hits the free-agent market next offseason, exploring a trade could be prudent to secure value for the pitcher while he remains healthy and highly regarded.