For the second consecutive season, right-hander is the most talked about player in trade rumors as the winter gives way to Spring Training. The then-White Sox hurler was shipped to the Padres in mid-March of last year, just before San Diego started their season in Seoul. It remains to be seen if the club will turn around and deal him during the spring themselves one year later, but notes that Cease made clear he isnt bothered by the rumors swirling around him at yesterdays FanFest event. You just focus on the task at hand, Cease said, as relayed by Ca savell. Its just part of the busine s, Vimael Machin Jersey really. Cease went on to note how much he loves San Diego and added that he would definitely like to stay in town. It certainly remains po sible that hell be a Padre in 2025 even if its difficult to imagine him returning to San Diego upon hitting free agency this offseason. As Ca savell notes, however, a trade might be the most sensible path for the Padres as they navigate a budget crunch with multiple significant holes in their projected 2025 lineup. It wouldnt be a shock to see Cease bring back the sort of significant return that could addre s multiple needs for the Padres while also getting his $13.75MM salary off the books to clear the way for further additions. With that being said, getting the right deal for Cease may be easier said than done. The , , and are among the teams that have been connected to Cease in recent days, but there have been some indications from both Minnesota and New York that a trade could be difficult to work out. reported earlier this weekend that the Padres are asking for significant major-league value in Cease talks, adding that rival executives believe the club is emboldened by the exceptional return they received from the Yankees in last winters deal. Meanwhile, Hayes reports that the Twins are unwilling to part with top prospects like , , and at this time and prefer to offer a package of big leaguers who can help addre s San Diegos needs in the lineup and rotation. That might sound like the teams match up well at first glance, but Hayes adds that the specifics of the return package figure to be a sitcking point. He suggests that the Padres are likely to ask for one of or as the centerpiece of a deal, which is an ask that its hard to imagine Minnesota agreeing to given that both are established, quality mid-rotation arms with three years of team control remaining. Hayes notes that the Twins would prefer to offer a package headlined by a young starter like or that would also include and . Woods Richardson posted solid back-of-the-rotation production for the Twins in his rookie season last year, with a 4.17 ERA in 28 starts, while Matthews struggled in nine starts at the big league level but remains the clubs top pitching prospect and is generally believed to project as a #4 starter in the majors long-term. The value discrepancy between players of Ryan and Obers caliber and the likes of Matthews and Woods Richardson is significant, and the sides would need to move significant off their current stances in order for a deal to come together. It appears to be a similar story with the Mets, as recently described Cease coming to Queens as unlikely due to the expected acquisition cost. Whether thats due to a lack of willingne s to part with a high-end package in order to land Cease or if the club simply lacks the pieces nece sary to get a deal done is unclear, however, as Sammon goes on to mention the clubs failed pursuit of earlier this winter. The Mets were among a number of teams interested in Crochet, but he ultimately was dealt to the Red Sox because, as Sammon writes, Boston was able to offer higher-quality prospects than the Mets were. Sammon goes on to suggests that the Mets could swing a deal if the Padres asking price comes down through the spring or revisit talks at the trade deadline, when Cease would be le s valuable due to an acquiring club no longer being able to extend him the Qualifying Offer. Of course, a Cease trade may be far le s likely by the time the summer rolls around. The Padres will have to fill their vacancies in the lineup one way or another before the season begins, and if they manage to do so without dealing Cease its difficult to imagine the club then shifting gears and shipping Cease out in the middle of a pennant race unle s theyve fallen out of contention. Elvis Peralta Jersey