Cease, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, would be a rental for the current AL West leaders.

The Astros have been crushed by injuries, and as they pursue another pitcher at the trade deadline, they're eying Padres starter Dylan Cease.

Last week, Buster Olney of ESPN reported the Padres were making Cease available in trade talks with rival teams. Joel Sherman of the New York Post subsequently identified six teams that have inquired about Cease: the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.