This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres as Insider Provides Massive Padres’ Dylan Cease Trade Update as Deadline Nears. The Houston Astros are working hard to acquire San Diego Padres starter Dylan Cease before the trade deadline, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Cease could just be a half-year rental because of all the starting pitchers on Houston's injured list. The Astros have a full rotation sidelined. Lance McCullers, Luis Garcia, Ronel Blanco, Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier and J.P. France are all on the injured list.

The San Diego Padres are very serious about trading Dylan Cease before today’s trade deadline because they are apparently in