With the signing of infielder Alex Bregman, the Red Sox have had one of the better offseasons in all of MLB, bringing in starting pitchers Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler to add much-needed depth and talent to the top of the rotation.
But, it turns out, they may not be done. According to Sean McAdam, the longtime Red Sox beat reporter who now writes for MassLive, Boston could make a move on yet another top starter--Padres star Dylan Cease.
Cease just wrapped up his final year of team control, agreeing to a $13.5 million contract to avoid arbitration. But Padres have not come up with a long-term extension for him, which has fueled speculation that they'll trade him, perhaps sooner than later.
The Red Sox are ready to pounce, McAdam reports.
He wrote on Sunday: "An industry source confirmed the Red Sox have been in touch with the San Diego Padres about starting pitcher Dylan Cease, who is being shopped around this spring.
"That same source cautioned that, to date at least, the interest from the Red Sox has been closer to 'due diligence' level than it is to aggressive pursuit. But for a pitcher the quality of Cease, the Red Sox at least want to monitor the market."
Cease is a workhorse who has led the league in starts in three of the past four years and has amassed a 57-46 record with a 3.75 ERA in his career. The Red Sox already have Crochet and Buehler at the top of their rotation, with homegrown youngsters Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Brayan Bello.
The return of Lucas Giolito could give the Red Sox a six-man rotation. If they were to pursue Cease, Boston would have several top-tier prospects--Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell or perhaps Houck and Crawford--to offer.
