A player who has been linked to the Houston Astros in potential trade talks is now getting closer to being moved according to an MLB insider.
While it feels like the Houston Astros are probably going to be fairly dormant this offseason, there is still some thought that they could be playing possum and are actually targeting a major move.
If that were to happen, it would most likely come by way of the trade market. The good thing for the Astros is that there seems to be plenty of elite players available this offseason.
There might be no better pitcher on the trade block right now than Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease.
The AL Cy Young runner-up in 2022 has been made available after the White Sox are looking to rebuild. He has been linked to Houston throughout this offseason as a potential candidate to upgrade their rotation, which Dana Brown might sneakily be looking for.
But, the Astros can't sit around and wait to see if Cease will fall into their laps.
MLB insider, Jon Morosi, is reporting that things are heating up in relation to deals for the star righty with a something potentially coming soon.
"Sources: Dylan Cease trade talks have intensified in the last 48 hours, and some people close to the negotiations believe a deal *before* the winter meetings is increasingly possible," he posted on social media.
Morosi also notes that the Atlanta Braves are among the finalists to land the ace. He doesn't say who the others are on that list, so it's unknown if Houston is in the running or not.
From the Astros' perspective, getting Cease into the mix would be a great addition for this "win now" roster. He would immediately improve their starting rotation.
What it would take to get him is another conversation.
They've given up a ton of assets over the years as they've chased World Series championships. This has depleted their pipeline to the point of being considered the worst in baseball.
Jake Meyers is supposedly being shopped by Houston this offseason, but he would have to be part of the trade package and not the center of it.
It's likely that the Astros would have to give up more of their top prospect talent, in addition to Meyers and another Major League pitcher to get this deal done.
Brown could be aggressive and pursue this deal, but he'll have to decide quickly if it's worth it or not before they miss out on the opportunity.