Latest news with #Cease
Newsweek
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Padres Reportedly Make Contract Decision On Michael King, Dylan Cease
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The San Diego Padres seem poised to challenge the Los Angeles Dodgers for a spot in the World Series once again this season. After getting just one win away from a bid for the National League Championship Series last fall, the team has surged to a 27-15 start going into Friday, sitting just one game behind the powerhouse Dodgers for first place in the National League West division. The team is enjoying a Most Valuable Player Award caliber season from Fernando Tatis Jr., strong contributions from Manny Machado in his 14th big-league season, and a solid follow-up campaign from sophomore sensation Jackson Merrill. But perhaps its greatest strength is the pitching staff. The team's bullpen has one of the lowest ERA marks of any team and is tied for the Major League Baseball lead with 16 saves so far. And the starting staff has been even more impressive, with Michael King, Randy Vasquez, Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease leading the way. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller of the San Diego Padres speaks to media prior to an Opening Day game against the San Francisco Giants at... SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller of the San Diego Padres speaks to media prior to an Opening Day game against the San Francisco Giants at PETCO Park on March 28, 2024 in San Diego, California. (Photo by) More Sloter/Getty But with two of those names set for major free agency negotiations at the end of this season, the Padres have had an important decision to make. Both Cease and King are in their final years of arbitration eligibility and will seek hefty, long-term contracts after this season if they aren't extended first. The Padres could ultimately let both of them walk or find a way to keep them both, but Jon Heyman of the New York Post has reported that the team is targeting King alone. "The Padres are hopeful of re-signing one of two star free-agent starters — and word is the one they'll likely target is Michael King," Heyman wrote. "King is a star now but he'll likely cost less than Dylan Cease due to Cease's total track record. Cease is back on his game thanks to a dominating slider." It might come as a surprise to hear that King will come at a lower cost than Cease, given the current season. King has maintained a 2.32 ERA with 56 strikeouts in his first nine starts, while Cease has been hit for a 4.60 ERA with 58 strikeouts in his first nine starts. Last season yielded similar results. But Cease has long been seen as one of the best swing-and-miss pitchers in baseball, making at least 32 starts in each of the last four seasons. Meanwhile, King became a first-time starter last year and hadn't made 10 starts in a season up to that point. More MLB: Aaron Judge Expected to Make Strong Juan Soto Gesture Before Subway Series
New York Post
16-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Padres have their pick of pair of free agent starters
The Padres are hopeful of re-signing one of two star free-agent starters — and word is the one they'll likely target is Michael King (one scout says he sees similarities to Greg Maddux). It won't be easy as King has East Coast roots (the ex-Yankee is from Rhode Island). King is a star now but he'll likely cost less than Dylan Cease due to Cease's total track record. Cease is back on his game thanks to a dominating slider.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: 6 starting pitchers improperly valued right now, and how to take advantage
Starting pitchers are tough to assess during the initial weeks of the MLB season, as both their fantasy numbers and underlying skill metrics tend to fluctuate wildly from one start to the next. Wise managers will stick with the tried-and-true K-BB% stat when looking for diamonds in the rough, and they will use noisy stats such as BABIP, strand rate and HR/FB rate to find the hurlers who are improperly valued on the Yahoo Trade Market. Here are six candidates who fit that description. A manager who wants to buy low on Cease (4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) can easily make a case that the inconsistent right-hander is having yet another down year. After all, while his strikeout totals have been consistent, Cease's ratios have been anything but over the past five seasons. The reality is that his 2025 strikeout and walk rates are similar to the marks posted during his best seasons, as is the quality of contact that he has allowed. Cease has been felled by a .331 BABIP and a 66.7% strand rate, and those numbers should experience positive regression in the coming weeks. There aren't many opportunities to add 200-strikeout pitchers at a discount. Already one of the safest starters in fantasy baseball, Webb has taken his game to another level by improving his strikeout rate. The veteran's 29.3% mark is easily a career high and is nearly 9% better than his mark from last season. He has accumulated at least five strikeouts in every start, which is a feat that he accomplished in only 58% of his appearances last year. By racking up more whiffs while continuing to induce plenty of grounders, Webb has become someone who perfectly blends a high floor and a notable ceiling. The icing on the cake is that he pitches for a team that sits seventh in baseball in winning percentage. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] A late-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Luzardo has reclaimed the velocity he lost last year and once again features a fastball that exceeds 96 mph. Even better, the left-hander is throwing his slider more often and at a higher speed than ever before. Luzardo may not repeat his 208-strikeout season from 2023, but he can collect 190 whiffs while posting excellent ratios on one of baseball's best teams. This year, Bibee has been a jack of all trades, but a master of none. The right-hander has thrown five pitches at least 12% of the time, and while his fastball velocity lines up with previous seasons, the speed of his secondary offerings has declined. He has really struggled to put batters away (16.8% strikeout rate), while issuing free passes more often than usual (8.6% walk rate). In fact, Bibee would look much worse if not for a .236 BABIP and an 83.3% strand rate. The 26-year-old has been serviceable in recent starts, which makes this a good time to trade him for a respectable return. Many managers will look at Mahle's underlying numbers and refuse to pay a premium in trade talks. But there will at least be a couple of managers in each league who won't be able to resist acquiring someone with eye-popping ratios that include a 1.47 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Those who are trying to move Mahle can point out in trade talks that he has faced some quality lineups, including two starts against the Red Sox and an outing against each of the Dodgers and Cubs. Between the 30-year-old's lengthy injury history and mediocre 37:16 K:BB ratio, there is ample reason to cash out in the coming weeks. Mahle faces the White Sox next week, and my ideal goal would be to trade him after that start. There is an easy way to sell Pfaadt's success on the trade market. After all, the right-hander was among the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last year, logging a 4.71 ERA that was more than a full run lower than most of his ERA estimators. And now that his luck has changed, he has a well-deserved 3.73 ERA. But the truth is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction with Pfaadt, who has experienced a dip in his strikeout rate and has benefited from a 79.9% strand rate. He's more of an innings eater than a true impact pitcher.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: 6 starting pitchers improperly valued right now, and how to take advantage
Starting pitchers are tough to assess during the initial weeks of the MLB season, as both their fantasy numbers and underlying skill metrics tend to fluctuate wildly from one start to the next. Wise managers will stick with the tried-and-true K-BB% stat when looking for diamonds in the rough, and they will use noisy stats such as BABIP, strand rate and HR/FB rate to find the hurlers who are improperly valued on the Yahoo Trade Market. Here are six candidates who fit that description. A manager who wants to buy low on Cease (4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) can easily make a case that the inconsistent right-hander is having yet another down year. After all, while his strikeout totals have been consistent, Cease's ratios have been anything but over the past five seasons. The reality is that his 2025 strikeout and walk rates are similar to the marks posted during his best seasons, as is the quality of contact that he has allowed. Cease has been felled by a .331 BABIP and a 66.7% strand rate, and those numbers should experience positive regression in the coming weeks. There aren't many opportunities to add 200-strikeout pitchers at a discount. Already one of the safest starters in fantasy baseball, Webb has taken his game to another level by improving his strikeout rate. The veteran's 29.3% mark is easily a career high and is nearly 9% better than his mark from last season. He has accumulated at least five strikeouts in every start, which is a feat that he accomplished in only 58% of his appearances last year. By racking up more whiffs while continuing to induce plenty of grounders, Webb has become someone who perfectly blends a high floor and a notable ceiling. The icing on the cake is that he pitches for a team that sits seventh in baseball in winning percentage. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] A late-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Luzardo has reclaimed the velocity he lost last year and once again features a fastball that exceeds 96 mph. Even better, the left-hander is throwing his slider more often and at a higher speed than ever before. Luzardo may not repeat his 208-strikeout season from 2023, but he can collect 190 whiffs while posting excellent ratios on one of baseball's best teams. This year, Bibee has been a jack of all trades, but a master of none. The right-hander has thrown five pitches at least 12% of the time, and while his fastball velocity lines up with previous seasons, the speed of his secondary offerings has declined. He has really struggled to put batters away (16.8% strikeout rate), while issuing free passes more often than usual (8.6% walk rate). In fact, Bibee would look much worse if not for a .236 BABIP and an 83.3% strand rate. The 26-year-old has been serviceable in recent starts, which makes this a good time to trade him for a respectable return. Many managers will look at Mahle's underlying numbers and refuse to pay a premium in trade talks. But there will at least be a couple of managers in each league who won't be able to resist acquiring someone with eye-popping ratios that include a 1.47 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Those who are trying to move Mahle can point out in trade talks that he has faced some quality lineups, including two starts against the Red Sox and an outing against each of the Dodgers and Cubs. Between the 30-year-old's lengthy injury history and mediocre 37:16 K:BB ratio, there is ample reason to cash out in the coming weeks. Mahle faces the White Sox next week, and my ideal goal would be to trade him after that start. There is an easy way to sell Pfaadt's success on the trade market. After all, the right-hander was among the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last year, logging a 4.71 ERA that was more than a full run lower than most of his ERA estimators. And now that his luck has changed, he has a well-deserved 3.73 ERA. But the truth is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction with Pfaadt, who has experienced a dip in his strikeout rate and has benefited from a 79.9% strand rate. He's more of an innings eater than a true impact pitcher.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer: 6 starting pitchers improperly valued right now, and how to take advantage
Starting pitchers are tough to assess during the initial weeks of the season, as both their fantasy numbers and underlying skill metrics tend to fluctuate wildly from one start to the next. Wise managers will stick with the tried-and-true K-BB% stat when looking for diamonds in the rough, and they will use noisy stats such as BABIP, strand rate and HR/FB rate to find the hurlers who are improperly valued on the Yahoo Trade Market. Here are six candidates who fit that description. Buy Low Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres A manager who wants to buy low on Cease (4.60 ERA, 1.34 WHIP) can easily make a case that the inconsistent right-hander is having yet another down year. After all, while his strikeout totals have been consistent, Cease's ratios have been anything but over the past five seasons. The reality is that his 2025 strikeout and walk rates are similar to the marks posted during his best seasons, as is the quality of contact that he has allowed. Cease has been felled by a .331 BABIP and a 66.7% strand rate, and those numbers should experience positive regression in the coming weeks. There aren't many opportunities to add 200-strikeout pitchers at a discount. Buy High Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants Already one of the safest starters in fantasy baseball, Webb has taken his game to another level by improving his strikeout rate. The veteran's 29.3% mark is easily a career high and is nearly 9% better than his mark from last season. He has accumulated at least five strikeouts in every start, which is a feat that he accomplished in only 58% of his appearances last year. Advertisement By racking up more whiffs while continuing to induce plenty of grounders, Webb has become someone who perfectly blends a high floor and a notable ceiling. The icing on the cake is that he pitches for a team that sits seventh in baseball in winning percentage. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] Jesús Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies A late-round pick in many 2025 drafts, Luzardo has reclaimed the velocity he lost last year and once again features a fastball that exceeds 96 mph. Even better, the left-hander is throwing his slider more often and at a higher speed than ever before. Advertisement Luzardo may not repeat his 208-strikeout season from 2023, but he can collect 190 whiffs while posting excellent ratios on one of baseball's best teams. Sell Low Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians This year, Bibee has been a jack of all trades, but a master of none. The right-hander has thrown five pitches at least 12% of the time, and while his fastball velocity lines up with previous seasons, the speed of his secondary offerings has declined. He has really struggled to put batters away (16.8% strikeout rate), while issuing free passes more often than usual (8.6% walk rate). In fact, Bibee would look much worse if not for a .236 BABIP and an 83.3% strand rate. The 26-year-old has been serviceable in recent starts, which makes this a good time to trade him for a respectable return. Sell High Tyler Mahle, Texas Rangers Many managers will look at Mahle's underlying numbers and refuse to pay a premium in trade talks. But there will at least be a couple of managers in each league who won't be able to resist acquiring someone with eye-popping ratios that include a 1.47 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Those who are trying to move Mahle can point out in trade talks that he has faced some quality lineups, including two starts against the Red Sox and an outing against each of the Dodgers and Cubs. Advertisement Between the 30-year-old's lengthy injury history and mediocre 37:16 K:BB ratio, there is ample reason to cash out in the coming weeks. Mahle faces the White Sox next week, and my ideal goal would be to trade him after that start. Brandon Pfaadt, Arizona Diamondbacks There is an easy way to sell Pfaadt's success on the trade market. After all, the right-hander was among the unluckiest pitchers in baseball last year, logging a 4.71 ERA that was more than a full run lower than most of his ERA estimators. And now that his luck has changed, he has a well-deserved 3.73 ERA. But the truth is that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction with Pfaadt, who has experienced a dip in his strikeout rate and has benefited from a 79.9% strand rate. He's more of an innings eater than a true impact pitcher.
