Padres pitcher Dylan Cease doesn't expect to be traded, but with the Yankees needing another starter, it's not out of the question.

Could a Dylan Cease trade be imminent for the San Diego Padres? That’s certainly the conclusion that Padres fans reached when it was announced on March 17 that Michael King would be San Diego’s Opening Day starter on March 27 against the Atlanta Braves.

The San Diego Padres were recently predicted to trade superstar pitcher Dylan Cease to the Baltimore Orioles in a blockbuster deal.

The Padres are closing in on their final roster decisions -- including a pair of spots in their starting five. On Sunday morning, manager Mike Shildt seemed to lay out precisely where those spots will land in his season-opening rotation.

Following this update, Padres manager Mike Shildt made a surprising choice by opting for Michael King as the team’s Opening Day starter over Cease. Both pitchers had excellent 2024 campaigns but Cease might have been the more clear-cut choice for the honor after coming in fourth place in Cy Young Award votes, whereas King came in seventh.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease had a strong 2024 campaign, finishing with a 14-11 win/loss record, along with a 3.47 ERA and 224 total strikeouts.

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease is a vital piece to the rotation, but the organization's payroll restrictions have led many to believe the 29-year-old will be dealt by the summer.

The San Diego Padres look to finish a four-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves when the two teams meet at Petco Park on Sunday night.

Michael King arrived as a relative unknown in Padres camp last spring. A year later, the former reliever will start for them on Opening Day.

Jake Cronenworth’s home run leading off the eighth inning gave the Padres a lead, and Robert Suarez worked a clean ninth to finish off a 4-3 victory, another marathon effort by the bullpen and the Padres’ second dramatic win in two games this season.