May 24, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres hats in the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Cardinals Listed As Possible Fit For $13.75 Million Padres Ace: Why It's Unlikely To Happen

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals went 78-84 and missed the postseason for the third straight year in 2025. This was also their second losing season in the last three years.

Chaim Bloom has officially taken over for John Mozeliak as president of baseball operations, ushering in a new era of Cardinals baseball. At his introductory press conference, Bloom hinted at "short-term sacrifices" but didn't rule out a big addition if it served the Cardinals long-term.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed several fits for San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease and had the Cardinals as an honorable mention. However, this is unlikely to happen.

Why Potential Cardinals-Dylan Cease Fit Is Unlikely

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Cease went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts with the Padres this season. He also struck out 215 batters and logged 168 innings. Miller predicted that he could land a similar deal to what Aaron Nola received after the 2023 season.

However, that is typically not how the Cardinals operate in free agency, and rarely has Bloom been one to fork over a massive contract for a star player. The Cardinals are also planning to rebuild, which will include them focusing more on building up the farm system and infrastructure.

Cease was a Cy Young finalist back in 2022, but has not been the same pitcher since. While the Cardinals do need to add starting pitching to a degree, they aren't shooting for a World Series title in 2026.

Their current rebuild will likely last a couple of years, and a potential signing of Cease would be one that a team ready to win now would typically make. The Cardinals aren't quite there yet, and it's going to take some time for them to regain their status as a model organization.

The 29-year-old right-hander would certainly help the Cardinals, but they need to be focused on the future and get back to drafting and developing players, as Bloom said in his press conference last week.

It will certainly be interesting to see where the Cardinals land in their search for pitching, but fans hoping for a blockbuster move such as this should temper their expectations for now.

The Cardinals have a lot of work to do in order to become World Series contenders again. They aren't just one or two moves away from that status.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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