Astros Deadline News: Team Increases Interest in Padres Pitcher Dylan Cease

The Houston Astros rotation has been banged up all season long with multiple injuries.

Framber Valdez has been one of the few pitchers for Houston that has been healthy, but Houston could use more depth.

With the Seattle Mariners right on the Astros’ heels for the division, it’s led to the team pursuing starting pitcher Dylan Cease, according to Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

“Perhaps it should come as no surprise, then, that Cease is at the top of the Astros’ wish list as the trade deadline nears, according to sources briefed on the team’s discussions,” they wrote. “Cease, 29, would stabilize the Astros’ injury-depleted rotation for the rest of the season, and join All-Star right-hander Hunter Brown and left-hander Framber Valdez to give the team a potentially dominant trio in a postseason series.”

Cease would be a rental for Houston, so the organization wouldn’t be paying the price of acquiring someone with years of control. However, the Padres know they can still get a lot for him. Unlike most deadline deals, Rosenthal and Rome point out some major complications.

“The challenge for the Astros in acquiring Cease might be finding a suitable match with the Padres, who are only interested in trading the pitcher if they can improve their current major-league roster,” they wrote. “Acquiring Cease and the remainder of his $13.75 million salary also would almost assure the Astros will cross the luxury tax for a second consecutive season.”

If the Astros can make a deep push in the playoffs, the luxury tax should be the least of their worries. Instead they should focus on doing what it takes to get the deal done.

However, Houston would have to decide if acquiring a pitcher is worth coughing up a bat. It seems likely this kind of deal would only work with a third team involved that sends the Padres a bat with both San Diego and Houston sending a prospect each to the third team.

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