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The Houston Astros have flipped the script on their recent trade deadline priorities, and now appear to be targeting one of the top starting pitchers available on the market. According to The Athletic (subscription required), the Astros have zeroed in on San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease.
For the past week, all Astros fans have heard about is the desire of GM Dana Brown and the front office to upgrade the lineup. But if Houston is going after Cease at the deadline, that will likely prove to be quite costly (in terms of prospect capital) and could take the Astros out of any sort of talks for a big-bat like Eugenio Suárez.
Cease is in the final year of his arbitration window and will be a free agent after the season. The Padres' hurler is not having the same type of year he did in 2024, but Cease is still a reliable frontline starter who's struck out nearly 30% of the batters he's faced this season.
Latest Astros rumors link Padres ace Dylan Cease to Houston in wild trade deadline pivot
Cease is 3-10 with a 4.79 ERA in 22 starts for San Diego this season. Cease finished in the top-5 of the Cy Young voting in both 2022 and 2024 and was traded to the Padres just last season. He put up terrific numbers last year (14-11 3.47 ERA) and has been a workhorse since 2021. Cease has logged at least 32 starts in each of the past four seasons.
The Padres are desperate for bats, and are looking to both buy and sell ahead of the trade deadline. The Friars have been known to be targeting outfield help, so Padres GM AJ Preller may have his eye on one of Houston's young outfielders. Obviously Cam Smith would be off limits in any sort of trade talks, but Jacob Melton could be made available if it brought back another starting pitcher.
Houston's rotation has been crushed by injuries this season, and while finding a left-handed bat should still be on their radar, the Astros' pursuit of Cease would seem to signal a lack of confidence that their ailing starters will return to form this season. It also shows a willingness by ownership to cross the tax threshold for a second year in a row, something Jim Crane has been reluctant to do in recent years.