Former Chicago White Sox ace Dylan Cease is going up against his former team in the playoffs this week. Obviously, I’m not referring to the 102-loss White Sox, who traded Cease to the San Diego Padres before the 2024 season.
Before Cease wore White Sox pinstripes on the South Side, he was a top prospect for the Chicago Cubs. Infamously, the Cubs traded him across town along with Eloy Jimenez in the 2017 Jose Quintana blockbuster.
Cease takes the mound for San Diego in Game 2
Cease was named San Diego’s starting pitcher for Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field this week. That game will be played at 2:08pm CT on Wednesday, and it could be a game that sends the Cubs home from the postseason.
Mike Shildt announces Dylan Cease as his Game 2 starter and that Yu Darvish will start in Game 3 if necessary. Michael King will work in relief out of the bullpen. pic.twitter.com/OsFE2ZSsLv
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) September 29, 2025
The Wild Card Series is a best-of-three. In the blink of an eye, four teams who have persevered through a grueling 162-game schedule will have their World Series hopes snuffed.
Cease has not had the best track record in the playoffs so far, In four postseason appearances with the White Sox and Padres, he has allowed 11 runs in 7.2 innings. The only playoff start Cease made for the White Sox came in Game 3 of the 2021 ALDS - the blackout game against the Houston Astros.
He will be hoping to change that narrative over the next month as the Padres look for their first World Series appearance since 1998.
Cease against the Cubs
In eight career starts against the Chicago Cubs, Dylan Cease is 4-2 with a magnificent 2.47 ERA. He has also recorded 61 strikeouts in 47.1 innings.
Of the 18 teams in baseball that Cease has made 5+ starts against in his career, he has the second lowest ERA against the Cubs. The Detroit Tigers are the only team that Cease has dominated more.
Cease made his first career start against the Chicago White Sox during the final week of the 2025 regular season, and he surrendered four runs over six inning pitched. The White Sox won the game and saddled Cease with a loss.
Sox fans loved Dylan Cease when he was on the South Side. He's the kind of guy that's easy to root for, even after he leaves your favorite team. White Sox fans have even more reason to cheer on Cease this week, as his success could send the rival Cubs home early.