Trade talks for White Sox RHP Dylan Cease 'ongoing,' GM says

CHICAGO -- It's feeling like a matter of when, not if,Chicago White Sox righty Dylan Cease will be traded as new general manager Chris Getz indicated Tuesday that conversations with other teams are "ongoing."

That doesn't mean something is imminent -- Cease's market could actually extend into the season -- but a long-term stay in Chicago doesn't sound like part of the plan.

"It's ever evolving in terms of the urgency of other clubs," Getz said in a Tuesday Zoom with reporters. "It could be in the offseason. It could at the deadline. It could be in May. There's just so many different factors when you're talking about 29 other clubs.

"There's a lot that goes into any trade transaction. There's a lot of conversations, build up, research and obviously getting it to the finish line. As part of the offseason, we'll continue to do that and find ways to get our club better."

Cease, 28, is under team control for two more seasons at a cost-effective salary: He'll make about $8 million in 2024 through the arbitration system. Then he'll have one more season before hitting the open market via free agency. He's also one year removed from finishing second in AL Cy Young voting. Last season, Cease was 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA with 214 strikeouts. It was a down year considering his ERA rose by over 2.00 but he remains a coveted player because of his age, stuff and durability.

Getz said just about every team has checked in on his veteran righty with the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees among them, according to league sources. Some of those teams have fulfilled their pitching needs. Others could be interested in free agents still out there. Getz might be waiting until there are few options left in order to get his asking price. He's interested in multiple high-end prospects for Cease, who has made 97 starts over the past three years.

Getz was asked if the trade market might move as free agency begins to wane.

"It's tough to tell," he answered. "Whether it comes to a Cease market or any other player's market, we're not operating in a vacuum. Some teams have more financial flexibility than others. All it takes is one team that wants to jump out and get a deal done. In the case of Dylan, I don't think there's a club out there that hasn't expressed some level of interest in him. All their situations are different."