Padres' Dylan Cease Expected to Sign $160M Deal with Braves in Free Agency

Dylan Cease, who was drafted by the Cubs, developed through the White Sox and was acquired by the Padres in March 2024, has remained a high-strikeout starter but showed inconsistency in 2025. He followed a strong 2024 (33 starts, 3.47 ERA, 224 strikeouts) with a 2025 season in which his ERA climbed to about 4.55 while still recording roughly 215 strikeouts and staying healthy across ~168 innings. Cease started Game 2 of the wild-card series, taking a no-decision after 3.2 shutout innings with five strikeouts against the Cubs, and he has been historically effective at Wrigley Field. Under a one-year, $13.75 million deal for 2025, Cease will hit free agency this winter and is widely projected to command a large multi-year contract (analysts’ estimates range roughly $155M–$210M), with several outlets predicting a roughly $160 million deal and the Atlanta Braves frequently mentioned as a likely landing spot.