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Yankees Trade Urged for Projected $108 Million Gerrit Cole Replacement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Mar 15, 2025 10:57 AM ET

New York baseball guru Jon Heyman recognizes that, while the Yankees need to groom their roster and farm system for the future, this is a team very much built to win in the present.

And amid a miserable spring training in Tampa, the Yankees' present is looking a bit grim. Despite a nice dismount from Juan Soto's free agency that saw the team add pitcher Max Fried, closer Devin Williams, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and center fielder Cody Bellinger, the Yankees have been thwacked with a series of health setbacks.

Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton has two bad elbows that could keep him out for the year. No. 3 starter Luis Gil has a lat injury that will likely keep him out past the All-Star game. And, worst of all, ace Gerrit Cole will be out for the year with Tommy John surgery.

The Yankees already have a farm system that has been dinged by trades for Bellinger and the trade that brought Soto to New York before the 2024 season. But Heyman reports that there's a possibility that Padres ace Dylan Cease could hit the trade market this summer, and that the Yankees should be "laser-focused" on bringing him to the Bronx.

Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA for San Diego last year. He has started at least 32 games in each of the last four seasons, and led the league in starts three times in that span.

"Cease is the most dominant pitcher who seems to live on the trade block, and easily the Yankees’ best hope to approximate out-for-the-year ace Gerrit Cole. And since the Padres are scouting the nine interested teams, this is the guy the Yankees need to focus on now," Heyman wrote in the New York Post.

But, Heyman noted, the Yankees are one of nine teams said to have interest in Cease, and the others, "may all have better bait."

As things stand, Fried, Carlos Rodon, Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt will lead the rotation, with Will Warren likely to be the fifth starter.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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