2 frontrunners emerging to land Dylan Cease?

Apr 5, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) sits in the dugout before the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

There may be a couple of last men left standing for Dylan Cease.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported in his column Sunday that the Atlanta Braves and the Baltimore Orioles are now seen as the favorites to acquire Cease. The right-hander continues to be shopped by his current team, the rebuilding Chicago White Sox.

Several weeks ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers were supposedly the frontrunners for Cease. But they can now effectively be crossed off the list after trading some of their best assets for a different veteran starter instead.

Cease, 27, was the AL Cy Young runner-up as well as an All-MLB selection in 2022. While he regressed a little last season, Cease still has some of the best swing-and-miss stuff in baseball and comes with two more seasons of team control.

The Braves need another starter after whiffing on their free agent targets like Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray, and the Orioles could also use one after spending much of the offseason addressing their bullpen. Cease would be a seamless fit for either rotation, depending on which team is willing to fork over the necessary young prospects.