San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said Tuesday that the CT scans of right-hander Dylan Cease's (head) came back negative, per 97.3 The Fan. Cease was hit in the back of the head by a comebacker on Monday and remained in the game until the bottom of the fifth inning, and his departure from the game did not appear to be because of the comebacker, but rather performance and pitch count. Regardless, the Padres wanted Cease to get a CT scan after the contest as a precautionary measure, and the testing revealed no swelling, bleeding, or any other issues. There's no reason to suggest Cease will not be able to make his next scheduled start, which is tentatively lined up for Sunday to take on the Cardinals. Cease has struggled in 2025 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 118 1/3 innings pitched. That being said, he remains a must-start in fantasy based on his pedigree and upside.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (head) will undergo a CT scan after being hit in the back of the head by a comebacker during his team's 7-6 win over the New York Mets on Monday night. Cease stayed in the game after the incident, which occurred in the third inning. This head injury is the latest setback in what has been a frustrating year for the 29-year-old. In 118 2/3 innings (22 starts), Cease is 3-10 with a 4.79 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 153 strikeouts. His 29.9% strikeout rate remains elite, but Cease is allowing the highest barrel rate (10.7%) of his career, and his 1.29 HR/9 is his highest since 2020. The results of this CT scan will likely determine whether he misses his next start, which had been scheduled to be on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the San Diego Padres are listening to offers on right-hander Dylan Cease, with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox among the teams believed to have checked in on Cease. The Padres are currently in the third National League wild-card spot, so they will be buyers at the traded deadline, but they often listen on rental players. Heyman thinks it's a major long shot that they will trade Cease by July 31. The 29-year-old has been a disappointment in 2025 in his second year in SD. Going into the All-Star break, he had an ERA over 6.00 in 27 2/3 innings in his last five starts of the first half. However, he was dominant in his first start back last Friday against the Nats, throwing 5 1/3 scoreless frames with 10 K's and no walks. Cease could easily bounce back in the second half as the Friars look to get into the postseason.

The San Diego Padres have their rotation in place for this weekend's road series against the Washington Nationals. They'll begin the second half of the season with right-handers Dylan Cease (Friday), Yu Darvish (Saturday), and Nick Pivetta (Sunday) taking on a Washington offense that ranks 18th in the majors in runs and 22nd in OPS (.700). Cease has disappointed this year and carries an awful 6.27 road ERA through a 10-start, 51 2/3-inning span. Darvish missed the first three months of the season with elbow inflammation, and the results haven't been pretty in his first two starts back. The 38-year-old has coughed up six earned runs on eight hits with 7:6 K:BB in 8 1/3 innings. Pivetta, on the other hand, has been a resounding success this season, though he has been a lot more effective at home (2.07 ERA in 65 1/3 innings) than on the road (4.09 in 44 frames). He dominated the Nationals in a home win on June 25, throwing seven scoreless, three-hit innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease tossed 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his team's 5-1 win against the visiting Kansas City Royals. The veteran yielded three hits, three walks, hit a batter, and struck out four. Cease notched his fourth start this season with one earned run or fewer, and collected his third win and sixth quality start. It was a nice rebound for him after allowing six runs to the Dodgers his last time out. The 29-year-old has pitched to an inflated 4.43 ERA and 1.29 WHIP through 87 1/3 innings (16 starts), but his xERA stands at a far more appealing 3.47. He'll square off against the Cincinnati Reds on the road the next time he toes the slab.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers over seven innings of work in his team's 11-1 home win on Tuesday. The veteran allowed three hits and notched a season-high in walks (five) and strikeouts (11). Cease was a little wild in this one, though; he also generated 24 whiffs for an excellent 39% CSW. Despite a good bit of traffic on the base paths during the middle innings of his outing, he kept a dangerous Dodgers lineup off the board. The Georgia native improved to 2-5, picking up his first win in well over two months (Apr. 2). He'll look to keep it rolling the next time he toes the rubber -- on the road against these very same Dodgers early next week.

San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease turned in a quality start in his team's 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday. Cease allowed two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out 10 and walking one, but he had to settle for a no-decision as the Padres' offense didn't come to life until after he departed. Cease has been up-and-down for the Padres this season, posting a 1-2 record, 4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and 58 strikeouts over 47 innings of work. That being said, Tuesday's start is a reminder of his fantasy upside when he's on. Cease will look to keep it going in his next start, which is scheduled to come against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Updating a previous report, San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said that the team is hopeful it was just a right-forearm cramp that led to right-hander Dylan Cease's (forearm) early exit from his start on Wednesday night in the Bronx against the New York Yankees. Shildt said the Padres weren't taking any chances with Cease, who appeared to be lobbying to stay in the contest. In the eventual 4-3 extra-innings loss, the 29-year-old looked the best he has all year in a no-decision, allowing just an earned run on a solo homer by former Cody Bellinger while walking two and striking out a season-high nine in 6 2/3 innings. The only hit he allowed didn't come until the seventh inning, right before he was pulled. Cease's injury doesn't appear to be too serious, but it doesn't mean he won't be in danger of missing his next start. Stay tuned for more details before Friday's series opener against the division-rival Colorado Rockies.UPDATE: Cease said he plans to make his next start, and manager Mike Shildt said he passed post-game tests from the training staff.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (undisclosed) made an early exit from Wednesday's game against the New York Yankees. Cease was cruising along and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Wednesday's contest. However, Cease gave up a solo home run to Cody Bellinger to break up the no-no. After that, Cease was forced to exit with a trainer due to an undisclosed injury, but he appeared to be looking at his right hand. The organization should give an update on his status, but hopefully it was only a cramp or something minor. He finished his outing throwing 6 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run on one hit, while striking out nine batters. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update on his status. Before exiting, Cease appeared to be pleading his case to remain in the game, for what it's worth.

San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease allowed nine hits and nine earned runs over four innings pitched in Tuesday's 10-4 road loss to the Oakland Athletics. The 29-year-old struck out four and handed out three free passes -- falling to 1-1 on the season. Most of the damage against him came in the first inning, as the A's nickeled and dimed him with singles and doubles en route to six runs. Cease settled in for an inning or so after that, but another three-run Oakland outburst in the third put the Padres down 9-4, and they could never regain any ground. The former sixth-round pick holds a bloated 7.98 ERA and 1.57 WHIP through three starts (14.2 innings) with an 18:6 K:BB ratio. Cease pitched well in his first two starts, and he'll look for better results in his next one, which is tentatively slated for the following Monday at home against the Cubs.

San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease allowed nine hits and nine earned runs over four innings pitched in Tuesday's 10-4 road loss to the Athletics. The 29-year-old struck out four and handed out three free passes, falling to 1-1 on the season. Most of the damage against him came in the first inning, as the A's nickeled and dimed him with singles and doubles en route to six runs. Cease settled in for an inning or so after that, but another three-run Oakland outburst in the third put the Padres down 9-4, and they could never regain any ground. The former sixth-round pick holds a bloated 7.98 ERA and 1.57 WHIP through three starts (14 2/3 innings) with an 18:6 K:BB. Cease pitched well in his first two starts and he'll look for better results in his next one, which is tentatively slated for the following Monday at home against the Cubs.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease earned his first win of the season with a strong outing on Wednesday afternoon, holding the Guardians to one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings at Petco Park. Cease picked up seven strikeouts and had a shutout going before running into trouble in the seventh. The bullpen finished the job, though, and the Padres held on for the 5-2 victory to complete the sweep and improve to an impressive 7-0. For Cease, it was a nice bounce-back outing after giving up three runs and only lasting 4 1/3 innings in his first start of the season against the Braves. He was back in his ace form on Wednesday and will look to keep rolling in his next start, which is scheduled for next Tuesday against the Athletics in hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park.

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reports that the San Diego Padres are unlikely to trade right-hander Dylan Cease before the start of the 2025 season, despite the fact that he's scheduled to be a free agent after this year. "I just do not think we are going to see a Dylan Cease trade that rescues the Yankees season," Morosi said in response to the fact that Yankees ace Gerrit Cole (elbow) will have season-ending Tommy John surgery. Not only are the Yankees hesitant to add to their payroll at the moment, but they would also be hesitant to give up top prospects such as Jasson Dominguez and Will Warren, who they will be counting on at the major-league level in 2025. The Padres could change their tune on Cease closer to this summer's trade deadline if the Padres are well out of contention, but for now, he appears primed to continue on as SD's ace. Cease's strikeout upside makes him a low-end No. 1/high-end No. 2 fantasy starter.

San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease will make his Cactus League debut on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Cease was the subject of trade rumors in the offseason as he heads into the final year of his contract, and although it appears the 29-year-old will stick with the Friars to begin the 2025 regular season, he could get moved closer to the deadline this summer. In his first year with the Padres in 2024 after being acquired in a trade from the Chicago White Sox, Cease went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA (3.10 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 65 walks in 189 1/3 innings over 33 starts in the regular season. He has now fanned 200-plus hitters in four straight seasons and also had a career-best 8.5 percent walk rate last year. The ace of San Diego's staff should be viewed as a low-end fantasy ace/high-end No. 2 in 2025.

The Athletic's Dennis Lin writes that the San Diego Padres' four-year, $55 million deal with right-hander Nick Pivetta could increase the chances that the team retains right-hander Dylan Case, at least through the end of spring training. Team and league sources indicated on Wednesday that the Padres are currently inclined to hang on to Cease, who will be a free agent after the 2025 season. Another team could still overwhelm the Padres with a trade offer for Cease, but as things stand now, closer Robert Suarez is much more likely to be traded. Suarez is owed $10 million this year and can opt out after the season. The Padres, who are still looking to trim payroll, think they could still have an effective bullpen if they traded Suarez. But with Joe Musgrove (elbow) out for all of 2025, their need for another proven starting pitcher was much more urgent, which is why they added Pivetta on Wednesday night.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the New York Mets are unlikely to trade for San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease. Sammon noted that the Padres are looking for major-league talent along with prospects that the Mets may not want to part with. Last offseason, when the Padres traded Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, they acquired major-league talent such as Michael King and other prospects. While Cease will not warrant a package like Soto did, the Mets are unlikely to pay the cost to acquire the ace. The Mets may have to part ways with one of Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams, or Ronny Mauricio in a potential deal. Throughout the offseason, the Mets have made several improvements to their starting rotation, as they have brought in Clay Holmes and ... [More]

MLB Network's Jon Morosi reports that a team to watch in regards to San Diego Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, who is on the trade market this offseason, is the Chicago Cubs. Both Cease and right-hander Michael King are on the trade block with the Padres facing payroll constraints in 2025, and Morosi goes on to say that Cease is more likely to be moved than King because Cease makes more money. The Cubs make plenty of sense as a trade partner for the Padres because they have seven of MLB Pipeline's top-100 prospects, with six of them expected to make an impact at the big-league level this year. With Jurickson Profar recently departing via free agency, the Padres have a hole to fill in left field, so a trade of either Cease or King could bring back an outfielder that could fill that hole immediately. Morosi specifically mentions Owen Caissie as a possibility for the Friars.

According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the New York Mets have shown interest in acquiring San Diego Padres starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King. Ragazzo noted the Atlanta Braves have also had discussions with San Diego. Both pitchers would likely be one-year rentals but would still carry a hefty price tag on the trade market. Earlier this offseason, the Mets re-signed Sean Manaea and brought in Frankie Montas and Clarke Schmidt to take back-end roles in the rotation. However, with the team eyeing to compete in 2025, they would like to further bolster their rotation. Last season, Cease posted a 3.47 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with 224 punchouts across 189 1/3 innings. King transitioned into a starter role last summer and performed well with a 2.95 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 201 punchouts across 173 2/3 frames of work.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal writes that one of the reasons the free-agent market remains clogged in late January is that names like San Diego Padres right-handers Dylan Cease and Michael King are among the starting pitchers available on the trade market. An arbitration hearing for King remains likely after he asked for $8.8 million, with the Padres offering $7.325 million. The best free-agent starters on the market this offseason have already found homes in Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki, but Jack Flaherty and Nick Pivetta are still available. In addition to Cease and King, Seattle Mariners right-hander ... [More]

Right-hander Dylan Cease and the San Diego Padres avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by agreeing to a one-year, $13.75 million deal. The figure represents a raise of nearly $6 million in what is Cease's final year of arbitration. In his first year in San Diego after the Padres acquired him in a trade from the Chicago White Sox before the 2024 season, the 29-year-old had a strong campaign with a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 224 strikeouts and 65 walks in 189 1/3 innings. Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals and was the team's ace for a large portion of the year. His 29.4% strikeout rate was fifth-best among qualified pitchers, and he paired it with a career-low 8.5% walk rate. Cease will enter his second year with the Friars as their ace, but with just one more year left on his deal, he could become a popular trade candidate during the summer, depending on SD's place in the standings.