Cubs Deemed ‘Team to Watch’ in Trade Talks for Perennial Cy Young Candidate

Chicago could use a jolt of star power.

In their bid to reclaim the NL Central title for the first time in five years, the Chicago Cubs reportedly could bring a top pitching talent back to the Windy City.

The Cubs are viewed as a “team to watch” to acquire San Diego Padres pitcher Dylan Cease, according to a Thursday morning report from MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.

“Cease is the more likely one to move (as compared to Padres pitcher Michael King),” Morosi said. “And one of the teams to watch: the Chicago Cubs.”

Morosi pointed to two reasons a deal makes sense on both ends: the Padres are searching for payroll flexibility, and the Cubs have a treasure trove of prospects that could facilitate a deal.

Cubs Deemed 'Team to Watch' in Trade Talks for Perennial Cy Young Candidate

Cease, 29, began his career with the Chicago White Sox in 2019. He broke out with a phenomenal 2022 for the White Sox—finishing second in the Cy Young voting with a 14-8 record, 2.20 ERA and 227 strikeouts.

In 2024—his first season in the National League after a March 13 trade—Cease finished fourth in the Cy Young voting, posting a 14-11 record with a 3.47 ERA and 224 strikeouts.

12 players who have risen into the top 5 at their position

Now in its 15th year, the latest edition of MLB Network’s “Top 10 Right Now” series wrapped up on Wednesday night. One takeaway from the 2025 position-by-position rankings produced by The Shredder? There are noticeable shakeups near the tops of many lists.

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Twelve players who did not rank inside the top 10 at a position last year not only made it onto a 2025 list, they jumped into the top five. Phenomenal rookies, breakout stars, bounce-back players — their success in ’24 was too good to ignore.

Here are the 12 players who have soared into the top five at their position, according to The Shredder.

Tarik Skubal, Tigers (No. 2 SP)
This is Skubal’s first appearance on a “Top 10 Right Now” list, but he gave us a glimpse of what was to come at the end of the 2023 season when he recorded a 0.90 ERA and a 43:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his final five starts. That dominance was on display for all of 2024. The lefty led the Tigers to their first playoff appearance in 10 years

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and captured the American League pitching Triple Crown along the way. Besides his 18 wins, 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts, Skubal had the best strikeout-minus-walk rate among qualified AL starters (25.6%), and his +40 pitching run value was the highest in the Majors.