The Cincinnati Reds have acquired RHP Luis Cessa and LHP Justin Wilson from the New York Yankees in exchange for a player to be named later.
The Yankees being cheap in 2021 has been a weird theme. This trade is glaring evidence that things are not like they used to be. With this trade, the team makes themselves worse in order to save a million dollars or two. Trading Wilson is understandable, as the lefty has been awful this year and has a player option worth $2.3 million for next year. But is that a huge deal? The team gives up a solid reliever in Cessa, who has two more seasons left of control after this year. This could be a precursor to something else, but it may just be the effect of the recent acquisition of Clay Holmes from Pittsburgh. Using a solid piece as a sweetener when prospects exist is a really weird choice.
The Reds win this deal big. They get a good piece in Cessa, who has a very good 31 percent hard hit rate this year. Cessa has years left under control and should not get too much in arbitration. The return for getting Cessa is basically taking on Wilson’s contract. But Wilson will not make too much money next year, so this is a freebie for them. Wilson has really struggled this year, but injuries have played a part. He does have a solid 85.5 mph average exit velocity, while his xERA is a lot better than his actual ERA.
Cessa, 29, has a 2.82 ERA with 31 strikeouts and a 1.252 WHIP in 38.1 innings for the Yankees this year. In his MLB career, all for New York, Cessa has a 4.19 ERA with 238 strikeouts and a 1.288 WHIP in 292 innings pitched.
Wilson, 33, has a 7.50 ERA with 15 strikeouts and a 1.500 WHIP in 18 innings for the Yankees this year. In his career for the Yankees, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates, Wilson has a 3.44 ERA with 489 strikeouts and a 1.288 WHIP in 447.1 innings.
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