The Chicago Cubs are discussing the possibility of trading for San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease.

Dylan Cease started his career with the Chicago White Sox on the South Side, but will he transition to the North Side with the Cubs this summer?

As reported by ESPN's Buster Olney, the Cubs have emerged as one of the teams showing interest in Cease on the trade market. This 29-year-old right-handed pitcher has a 4.64 ERA this season, with impressive advanced metrics: a 3.46 expected ERA (xERA), a 34.3% whiff rate (the best since 2021), and a 21.6% strikeout-to-walk differential, ranking eighth among starting pitchers in the league. He will become a free agent at the end of this season.

Cease is the latest starting pitcher linked to trade rumors with the Cubs, following connections to Seth Lugo of the Royals and Mitch Keller of the Pirates in recent media reports.