The New York Yankees are exploring trade options to replace their star pitcher Gerrit Cole, who will miss the season due to Tommy John surgery. Right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres has emerged as the top candidate. However, acquiring Cease will require the Yankees to part with one of their young stars, such as Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, or Jasson Dominguez. The decision hinges on whether the immediate boost of securing Cease is worth the long-term potential of their young talents.
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The New York Yankees are scrambling to find a replacement for their star pitcher Gerrit Cole, who recently announced that he will undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his season. This development has sparked a flurry of trade proposals from various teams, but the Yankees are now setting their sights on a particular player: right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres.
Dylan Cease, a 29-year-old workhorse who was traded to the Padres from the Chicago White Sox before the 2024 season, has emerged as the top candidate to join the Yankees, according to Deesha Thosar of FOX Sports. Thosar noted that while the Padres are eager to compete this year, if they decide to sell before the trade deadline, Cease will attract multiple suitors, and the Yankees should be among them.
However, the Yankees cannot afford to wait until the trade deadline to secure a replacement for Cole. Jon Heyman of the New York Post highlighted Cease, who is owed $13.75 million for the 2025 season under a one-year contract with the Padres, as the leading candidate for a trade. But acquiring Cease will come at a steep price, as the Padres are unlikely to let him go without significant compensation.
The Yankees will need to part with one of their young stars to make this trade happen. According to Heyman, unless the Yankees are willing to offer starting catcher Austin Wells, starting shortstop Anthony Volpe, or starting outfielder Jasson Dominguez (who has struggled in the spring), it will be challenging to finalize the deal. Each of these players is crucial to the Yankees’ plans for this season, as they aim for their second consecutive trip to the World Series.
Austin Wells, 25, is entering his second full season and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2024. Anthony Volpe, 23, is considered the Yankees’ first worthy successor at shortstop since Hall of Famer Derek Jeter retired 11 years ago. Jasson Dominguez, 22, despite his struggles in left field, remains the Yankees’ top prospect and a leading contender for Rookie of the Year this season.
The Yankees would be acquiring a pitcher who consistently delivers, with a career average of 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.067 WHIP in 2024, ranking fourth in the National League. The team must now decide whether trading one of their best young stars, who could contribute to future success, is worth the immediate boost of securing a pitcher who could help them win another American League East pennant and a possible World Series appearance.
