Dodgers notes: Dylan Cease, Walker Buehler, Jonathan India

The Dodgers acquired two former White Sox arms at the trade deadline, and they could look to acquire another White Sox arm to their rotation.

Dylan Cease is currently the longest tenured starter on the White Sox roster. Cease was one of the American League’s best starters in the 2022 season, finishing runner-up in Cy Young voting behind Justin Verlander. Even after a down season in 2023 when he posted just a 97 ERA+, Cease still managed to strike out 214 hitters and has struck out at least 200 hitters in his past three seasons.

With the White Sox letting shortstop Tim Anderson and closer Liam Hendriks walk in free agency, rumors have been swirling around Cease potentially finding a new home for the 2024 season.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report ranks the ten most likely candidates to make a deal to acquire Cease, including the Dodgers. Rymer’s imagined proposal has the Dodgers sending Dalton Rushing and Michael Busch to Chicago in return.

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Walker Buehler was anticipating a return to the mound in September, but was ultimately shelved for the rest of the season, unable to contribute for the Dodgers in the postseason. Buehler made an appearance on the Roggin and Rodney show on AM 570 and discussed how it felt to be inactive for the second straight postseason:

“This is two years in a row I’ve sat and watched the playoffs happen, and it stinks. You want to be a part of it. Everybody that plays this game, you want to get to the major leagues, and then once you do, you want to play in the playoffs. Some of my best memories, some of my worst memories, some of the most vivid things I remember about playing this game all happened in the playoffs.”

The Cincinnati Reds brought up five notable prospects that made an immediate impact on the team, such as Elly de la Cruz and Matt McLain. With the Reds infield set to be filled with rookies and second-year players, second baseman and 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India could be the odd man out.

Nick Deeds at MLB Trade Rumors lists several teams that could acquire India this offseason, noting the Dodgers as a prime team that could use an upgrade at second base:

“While [Mookie Betts] pulled off a multi-positional role with aplomb, a middle infield acquisition that could allow Betts to return to right field full time while alleviating pressure on an infield mix of Gavin Lux, Miguel Rojas, and Miguel Vargas would make a lot of sense for LA.”