Possible Twins trade candidate could solve Padres' Dylan Cease dilemma

Coming off a 93-win campaign, the San Diego Padres entered the offseason with a list of roster holes they needed to fill in order to get over their hump in the NL West. The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so the Padres are just going to have to figure out a way to leapfrog them in the standings however they can.

Despite the fact that they're currently right in the middle of their latest contention window, the Padres are at least listening to trade offers on both infielder Luis Arraez and starting pitcher Dylan Cease. Both players have value to the 2025 roster, but they both play premium positions and there's significant demand for players like them.

Moving on from Cease, a pending free agent, would allow the Padres to get a prospect haul in return while also still allowing them to use their financial flexibility to find an immediate replacement without missing much of a beat. One player from the Minnesota Twins, starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, may fit this bill perfectly.

The Padres could replace Dylan Cease with Pablo Lopez via trade

Lopez, 28, is already locked up on a multi-year pact, so the Padres would be on the hook for at least some of the remaining money on his deal. The right-hander is set to make $21.75 million in each of the next three seasons before becoming a free agent in 2028.

This price tag is exactly what makes Lopez an easy player to trade for, though. The Twins are looking to cut payroll and Lopez is squarely on the trade block. The Padres would have to eat some of the money on his contract, but they could also acquire him for a smaller package if they were to agree to take on the financial burden.

The Padres have a need for starting pitching, but they're not exactly able to go out and sign a pitcher like Corbin Burnes, who's rumored demand puts him well out of reach for the Padres. Instead, they could swing a trade for Lopez, who would be a budget option when put alongside the likes of Burnes. Also, three years of Lopez at that price is a fraction of what Cease will likely command in free agency. So the Padres could replace the right-hander in a creative manner.

This past season in what was his second on the Twins, Lopez went 15-10 with a 4.08 ERA, 3.65 FIP and 102 ERA+. This was the second time in his career he posted an ERA north of 4.00 (in a full season), but he still remained a strikeout artist who excelled in the run-prevention department. He's still squarely in his prime and would be an outstanding addition to the top of the Padres' rotation.

Since Cease is not going to be re-signed by San Diego, unloading him for a haul and then turning around to acquire Lopez would give the Padres a piece for the next few years that comes at a relative budget compared to other options on the open market. The fit is there, now it's just time for the execution.