Padres May Not Trade Dylan Cease or Luis Arraez: Report
The San Diego Padres have been reportedly looking to trade several of their stars this offseason. However, plans might have shifted, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Heyman recently reported that the Padres could hang on to both Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez, but they are listening to offers.
“The Dodgers and Padres have long been the favorites for superstar Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, but some hopeful execs wonder if turmoil at the top of San Diego’s hierarchy — the widow of late owner Peter Seidler is suing his brothers for control of the team — could hinder San Diego’s chances,” Heyman wrote.
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“While this is merely wishful speculation, the Padres have clearly changed gears since Seidler’s untimely death, going from one of baseball’s biggest spenders to its biggest payroll cutter,” he added.
The Padres haven’t exactly been in the spotlight for signing players lately as the Seidler family has hogged the spotlight with its drama regarding the team’s ownership.
However, recently, both Cease and Arraez avoided arbitration ahead of last week’s deadline.
Cease joined the Padres through a trade with the Chicago White Sox right before the team left spring training to kick off the 2024 season in Seoul, South Korea.
In his first year with San Diego, Cease delivered a standout performance. He tossed the second no-hitter in Padres history against the Washington Nationals in July and wrapped up the season with a 14-11 record, a 3.47 ERA, and 33 starts. His efforts earned him a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting.
Meanwhile, Arraez won his third consecutive batting title with his third team after leading the National League with 200 hits in 2024. He slashed .314/.346/.392 across 150 games.
Arraez struck out just 29 times over 672 plate appearances, 22 fewer than the next lowest total in the Majors, held by Steven Kwan of the Guardians with 51 strikeouts.
As he approaches his age-28 season, Arraez was arbitration-eligible for the final time and could be a potential trade candidate. His relatively affordable contract and pending free agency after the season make him an intriguing option for teams.
Though his elite contact skills have been a consistent highlight, Arraez’s profile is somewhat polarizing due to his limited power, speed, and defensive versatility.
He also walked only 24 times compared to his 29 strikeouts last season, but his ability to avoid swing-and-miss situations adds valuable depth to any lineup.
