Padres $13.8 Million Star Gets Honest About Struggles: 'I Gotta Improve'

Dylan Cease is still trying to get back into the groove he was in last season. 

The right-handed starting pitcher dominated in his first season with the San Diego Padres in 2024. However, Cease, who is owed $13.75 million this season, has struggled to bring that success into 2025.

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Cease holds a 5.61 ERA and has allowed at least two runs in six of his seven starts. Against the Athletics on April 8, Cease fumbled the Padres’ three-run lead by allowing nine runs in San Diego’s 10-4 loss.

Cease told San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee that his issues stem from mechanical mistakes with his pitches. He said he is optimistic about the improvement he is working toward but acknowledges that the results may take time to show. 

“I think I’ve kind of narrowed it down to something mechanical, so I’m working on it,” Cease said to Acee. “Unfortunately, sometimes when you go through it, it’s not just instant that you fix it.”

Cease has six different types of pitches in his repertoire but relies heavily on his slider and fastball, throwing them 46.6 percent and 36.2 percent of the time, respectively. 

The two-time All-MLB Second-Team selection said he has made adjustments to his pitches that should help him be more successful on the mound.

“But I think I made good adjustments,” Cease added. “I think it’s another reason why the slider shape was better. But, yeah, I mean, I definitely gotta improve it, but I feel optimistic about it.”

“There’s some things that I feel optimistic about, for sure,” Cease said. “I got my slider shape back, which I’ve been working on. Still frustrating results, but it’s honestly the most optimistic I felt after a start in a while. So I feel pretty good.”

In his most recent outing, Cease threw three strikeouts while allowing three hits and two runs across four innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cease has been speculated to be a top trade option for San Diego this season. He will be eligible for free agency after this season so the Padres could profit off of Cease now.

For now, Cease remains in the Padres' rotation. But if he is unable to reproduce the same no-hitter-caliber pitching he displayed in 2024, Cease could be headed to join a new MLB team.

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