Could Dylan Cease be traded to the St. Louis Cardinals?
St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has made it known that his team will be in the market for starting pitching. They've already been connected to the likes of Jordan Montgomery, Sonny Gray and Aaron Nola, but a potential trade partner could make more sense in the long run.
"Normally we can be very targeted in what we're doing," Mozeliak said, per The Athletic. "But I think this (offseason) is a little bit of a broader stroke because it's more of a volume play than just one (addition). We're definitely going to be in a position that if we have to act early, we can, but if it's something that plays out a little bit more over the offseason, we can be patient too."
Mozeliak is willing to explore all avenues to improve the Cardinals pitching staff. White Sox ace Dylan Cease, for one, could be made available, as Chicago general manager Chris Getz has gone on the record saying every rostered player is available for the right asking price. That includes Dylan Cease, who would cost quite a bit.
However, the Cardinals are willing to trade from their excess in outfield and outfield prospects. Considering the White Sox need help just about everywhere on the diamond, it's not a bad match.
The Cardinals are in Sonny Gray, but so is everyone else
If St. Louis had their way, they'd prefer to sign two top-flight starting pitchers this offseason -- so two of Sonny Gray, Aaron Nola and Jordan Montgomery. In reality, they'll be likely to land one of those. The Cardinals have not been shy about their need for starting pitching, and their willingness to spend as much capital as possible to upgrade. That might not help them with Gray, who is said to prioritize winning most at this point in his career. As Josh Jacobs of Redbird Rants relays, the experts believe Gray to St. Louis makes a lot of sense:
"Katie Woo of The Athletic, who does an excellent job covering the Cardinals, ranked the Cardinals' likelihood of signing Gray this offseason at "70 percent" (subscription required), which is a very strong number for a player who could sign with any team on the open market this offseason. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (subscription required) continues to report they are very interested in Gray," Jacobs wrote.
Gray piqued interest around baseball after the Twins were knocked out of the postseason, seeming to suggest he would take a discount to be somewhere he was valued and could win. That would be music to Mozeliak's ears, as it would allow the Cardinals to chase after another potential ace and fix their rotation all in one offseason.
First, he may have to convince Gray that St. Louis is actually his best opportunity to win.
Jordan Montgomery's return to St. Louis is no guarantee
Jordan Montgomery is expected to have plenty of suitors this offseason. At the GM meetings, Montgomery and his agent, Scott Boras, are meeting with all interested suitors. It's important not to read too much into these meetings, as they are essentially used as opportunities for all interested parties to gather information. Montgomery's decision likely won't be made this week unless he's blown away.
Still, comments made by Boras seem to insinuate that the Cardinals are far from the only team willing to pay Montgomery top dollar. In typical Boras fashion, his GM meetings cameo came with a rhyme.
"Jordan did a lot in the postseason. The Everest for the Rangers was beating the Astros and Jordan had... three remarkable performances with a 1.29 ERA. Owners are clamoring for us to, 'Let's make a deal on Jordan.' I think all owners are all very, very aware that he's worthy of a Monty Hall," Boras said, per John Denton of MLB.com.
FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray has long linked Montgomery back with the Cardinals. However, there's a good chance they could be outbid for the Texas Rangers World Series hero. Monty's postseason run increased his value significantly. Is he really the ace the Cards prefer to pay? Only time will tell.