The Atlanta Braves are seen as the current favorites in the chase for ace pitcher Dylan Cease, however, they could get serious competition for his services from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 2023 MLB Winter Meetings are set to kick off this weekend and there is expected to be a lot of activity among the league’s various teams as they look to improve their rosters for 2024. Star players like Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, and Japanese import Yoshinobu Yamamoto will earn a great deal of the focus this week, however, there are some other big names up for grabs, especially on the trade block.
One player who has been the center of a lot of discussion is Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease. The 2022 Cy Young candidate is only a couple of years away from free agency and the Sox see an opportunity to help their organization by moving a young star during an offseason with a weak free agent market for pitchers.
While several teams have been linked to the 27-year-old, on Saturday, USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale claimed that the Atlanta Braves are now seen as “the favorite to acquire White Sox ace Dylan Cease at the winter meetings.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pursuing Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Cease this month
The Braves had a fantastic season in 2023, but that was mostly based around a dominant batting order. When the playoffs arrived, the lineup didn’t dominate in the same way and the pitching staff did not elevate their game as they attempted to their second World Series title in three years.
However, although Atlanta is a favorite right now, they may get serious competition from a Los Angeles Dodgers team highly motivated to make some big moves this offseason. Along with the Braves news, Nightengale revealed LA “want Ohtani. They want Yamamoto. And they want Chicago White Sox starter Dylan Cease, too. They’re going for the jugular.”
The Dodgers were conservative in their moves last year and it seems after another early ouster in this year’s playoffs, they are all in on landing the top players in free agency and the trade block this month.