The New York Yankees are certainly in need of starting pitching thanks to a wave of injuries that has hit their rotation throughout the season, and even with Luis Gil slated to return soon, they absolutely could stand to add another starter.
The popular name right now is San Diego Padres hurler Dylan Cease, who is rumored to be a potential trade candidate ahead of the MLB trade deadline. It seems weird given that the Padres are in playoff contention, but Cease is slated to become a free agent during the offseason, and San Diego’s farm system is in dire need of a reboot.
Apparently, the Padres are seeking a left fielder (or a catcher) in exchange for Cease, who owns a 4.79 ERA through 22 starts this season (yeah, he hasn’t been great). Taking that into consideration, does a world actually exist in which the Yankees could move Jasson Dominguez in a Cease trade?
The Yankees have outfielder Spencer Jones — who has been mashing in Triple-A Columbus — waiting in the wings, and with Aaron Judge (when he gets back), Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham also occupying roster spots, there really isn’t much room for Jones right now.
That could change, however, if New York decides to move Dominguez, who has been an overall disappointment for the Yankees thus far in 2025.
Dominguez has certainly had his moments, but he is slashing a rather pedestrian .262/.334/.411 with nine home runs and 36 RBI over 341 plate appearances, and let’s not even get started on how much of a disaster he has been in left field. He was supposed to be a five-tool player, but he has been anything but the sort thus far.
Now, to be fair to Dominguez, he is still just 22 years old, and he has shown unquestioned potential as a hitter. His plate discipline is impressive, and his speed makes him a dynamic threat on the basepaths. But his rather mediocre power and his terrible outfield instincts make him more expendable than Yankees fans may think, especially with Jones on deck.
The question is, do the Yanks really want Cease?
When Cease is dealing, he is a menace. Take last year, for example, when he posted a 3.47 ERA while racking up 224 strikeouts over 189.1 innings of work. But this season, Cease owns a 1.335 WHIP and is just 3-10. Not that record is indicative of a pitcher’s performance, but when you are on a contending team, a 23.1 winning percentage is a bit alarming.
The 29-year-old is kind of an every-other-year pitcher, too. He wasn’t great in 2023, but was brilliant in 2022 on his way to finishing second in AL Cy Young voting with the Chicago White Sox.
What Cease does do well is that he strikes a ton of guys out regardless of how poorly he is pitching otherwise, and that obviously has value.
The Yankees shouldn’t trade Jones for Cease. But perhaps Dominguez could be a possibility if Brian Cashman gets desperate.
It probably still won’t happen, though.
