Hayes: Trading for Dylan Cease would give Twins much-needed star power

A brand new Minnesota Twins season premieres in March to what could be a much larger audience, and with spring training nearing, the franchise needs another star to entice viewers to tune in.

Dylan Cease would fit the bill.

Whereas in the past the Twins received a healthy annual lump sum from cable providers regardless of how many people watched their games, now they must attract viewers to consume the product via subscription models. Whether it’s a direct-to-consumer streaming plan or higher-tier cable packages, it’s incumbent upon the Twins to sell themselves and their new broadcast options to the audience.

And while on paper the team is still promising despite a low-voltage winter — ZIPS projects the Twins to win 88 games as constructed — it could use a little more star power to win back many of the fans who have stayed away the past five seasons.

Last week, The Athletic reported the Twins inquired about Cease when discussing potential trades with the San Diego Padres earlier this winter. Multiple team sources confirmed the club’s interest in Cease, a free agent after the 2025 campaign who has finished in the top four of the Cy Young Award voting twice in the past three seasons.

Increased chatter in the industry over the past few days suggests the Padres have discussed trades for Cease and fellow starting pitcher Michael King. The Padres, seeking to remain competitive, are asking for significant major-league value in exchange for Cease, a factor that makes a deal far less likely, according to industry sources briefed on their discussions. Rival executives believe San Diego is emboldened by the return it received from the New York Yankees last offseason for Juan Soto, who also was entering his walk year.

Currently, the Twins are one of two teams that have yet to sign a major-league free agent this offseason. Fans are clamoring for them to add to the roster.

Cease is precisely what the Twins need.

Many of those same followers are still angry about the team’s $30 million payroll reduction after the 2023 season. They’re bitter about their inability to watch the team over the past few years because of blackouts, no direct-to-consumer streaming products and last summer’s dispute between Xfinity and Diamond Sports Group that left the team off the air in the metro market for three months.

They believe the Twins’ offseason lethargy is yet another sign ownership isn’t committed to winning.

And the Twins mustn’t wonder if fans will spend their money elsewhere. They have plenty of evidence to back that assertion.

The Twins haven’t drawn two million fans to Target Field since the 2019 season. While the pandemic limited them in 2020 and 2021, the Twins have struggled to draw over the past three seasons, including last year, on the heels of their 2023 American League Central title. Despite contending until the final weekend of the regular season, the Twins drew 22,500 fewer fans in 2024 than they did the previous year — even after initial projections suggested a boost past the two million mark.

The Twins think one reason they’ve struggled at the gate is because blackouts prevented large chunks of Twins Territory from watching them.

The debut of Twins.TV offers the club a chance to win back some of those fans. Through cable and streaming, the Twins potentially can triple their viewing audience in 2025 from 1.1 million households last season to 4.4 million.

Though it’s difficult to envision the Twins matching the $54 million in television revenue they received from Diamond Sports in 2023, at least in the near future, the increase in potential viewership should lend itself to other revenue streams and serve as a way to re-engage a seemingly disaffected portion of the fan base.

The mention of Cease’s name in last week’s story about slowing trade talks with the Padres for catcher Christian Vázquez generated exactly the type of buzz the Twins need. Twins social media lit up in discussing the possibility of adding Cease to a rotation that already features Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober.

A team source confirmed the Twins also have inquired about Seattle’s Luis Castillo, but suggested there’s no match as the Mariners righty is owed more than $68 million over the next three seasons. Though the Twins are believed to have some financial leeway, perhaps $5 million in the 2025 payroll, Castillo simply costs too much and is under contract for multiple years — the type of deal the front office is avoiding until a new ownership group is in place.

On the other hand, Cease is owed a very reasonable $13.75 million before he’s eligible for free agency. However, acquiring Cease undoubtedly would cost the Twins dearly.

Last year, Milwaukee traded Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes — who had one season left before free agency — to Baltimore for two MLB-ready players who’d both been top-100 prospects before the 2023 season (Joey Ortiz and DL Hall) and a 2024 competitive balance draft pick.

The Twins aren’t willing to deal any of their top prospects, believing Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Luke Keaschall will all soon be regulars in their lineup. That stance could cost them.

Instead, the Twins would prefer to help the Padres fill several vacancies in the lineup and roster, a team source suggested. San Diego has holes in its starting rotation, in left field and at first base or designated hitter.

If the Twins satisfy the Padres’ desire for significant major league-talent, it might end up hurting their chances this season, making them reluctant to complete such a deal.

The Padres’ ask likely begins with either Ryan or Ober. The Twins would instead prefer to insert Zebby Matthews or Simeon Woods Richardson while also having to include left fielder Trevor Larnach, utilityman Willi Castro (whose $6.4 million salary would help offset how much money the Twins absorb with Cease) and others to help compensate for the draft pick compensation the Padres would receive if they kept Cease for the season, made him the qualifying offer, and he then leaves via free agency.

Whether the sides will find a suitable match to the liking of both Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller and Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey remains to be seen. One Twins source remains skeptical because Preller prefers to add star power when making big deals. However, Preller did make the aforementioned depth deal with the Yankees for Soto last winter that brought back five players to San Diego.

The Twins and Padres previously connected on a big trade when Preller targeted reliever Taylor Rogers in exchange for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagán on the eve of Opening Day 2022.

But there’s always a chance the Twins’ offer won’t match others’ proposals. In recent days, Cease has been linked to the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. Other clubs will engage with San Diego and might blow the Twins out of the water.

Landing Cease would not only improve the Twins’ chances of winning the AL Central in 2025. Perhaps more importantly, it would send the right message to fans who are in need of convincing when it’s needed most.

— The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal contributed to this report. 

(Photo: Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images)

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