{"id":12409,"date":"2024-12-21T09:01:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-21T14:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/?p=46576"},"modified":"2024-12-21T09:01:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-21T14:01:54","slug":"yankees-acquire-cruz-from-reds-in-deal-for-pair-of-catchers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/2024\/12\/21\/yankees-acquire-cruz-from-reds-in-deal-for-pair-of-catchers\/","title":{"rendered":"Yankees acquire Cruz from Reds in deal for pair of catchers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

In a move signaling a shift behind the plate, the New York Yankees traded veteran catcher Jose Trevino<\/strong> to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. In return, the Yankees acquired right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz<\/strong> and catcher Alex Jackson<\/strong>. This trade marks a significant roster change for both teams as they prepare for the 2024 season.<\/p>\n

A Stellar Start, Followed by Setbacks<\/h3>\n

Trevino, 32, joined the Yankees in 2022 following a trade with the Texas Rangers and immediately made his mark. That season, he was named an All-Star, earned a Gold Glove<\/strong> and American League Platinum Glove<\/strong>, and led all catchers with 21 defensive runs saved<\/strong>. He also contributed offensively, hitting .248 with 11 home runs and a .671 OPS.<\/p>\n

However, injuries began to take their toll. In 2023, Trevino was limited to just 55 games<\/strong>. Despite reclaiming the starting catcher role in 2024, a quadriceps injury in July opened the door for Austin Wells<\/strong>, a promising rookie who solidified his position as the Yankees’ primary backstop.<\/p>\n

Wells, 25, capitalized on the opportunity, finishing the season with a .229 batting average, 13 home runs, and a .718 OPS over 115 games. His performance earned him a third-place finish in the AL Rookie of the Year<\/strong> voting, effectively signaling the end of Trevino\u2019s tenure as the Yankees\u2019 starter.<\/p>\n

Yankees Strengthen Bullpen, Look to the Future<\/h3>\n

In exchange for Trevino, the Yankees acquired Fernando Cruz, a seasoned reliever who brings depth to their bullpen. The 34-year-old made his MLB debut in 2022 and has since posted a 4.52 ERA<\/strong> across 141 games. Last season, Cruz tallied 109 strikeouts over 69 appearances while recording a 4.86 ERA. Under team control until 2026, he joins a Yankees bullpen already bolstered by the recent acquisition of closer Devin Williams<\/strong> from the Milwaukee Brewers.<\/p>\n

The Yankees also received catcher Alex Jackson, a 28-year-old with major league experience but limited offensive production. Across five seasons with teams including the Rays, Brewers, Marlins, and Braves, Jackson has a career .132 batting average and a .456 OPS. Though he\u2019s likely to start the season in the minors, Jackson provides depth at a position where the Yankees will rely heavily on Wells moving forward.<\/p>\n

Reds\u2019 Perspective<\/h3>\n

For Cincinnati, the acquisition of Trevino adds defensive expertise and veteran leadership behind the plate. With Trevino under contract for one more year before free agency, the Reds gain a reliable option to mentor their young pitching staff while contributing offensively.<\/p>\n

A New Era in the Bronx<\/h3>\n

This trade underscores the Yankees\u2019 commitment to their youth movement while addressing bullpen needs. Wells will enter spring training as the team\u2019s everyday catcher, representing a changing of the guard behind the plate. For Trevino, the move to Cincinnati offers a chance to rejuvenate his career and bring his elite defensive skills to a new team.<\/p>\n

As the offseason continues, both teams hope these changes will position them for success in 2024. For the Yankees, it\u2019s a clear nod to the future, while for the Reds, it\u2019s a push to remain competitive in the NL Central.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a move signaling a shift behind the plate, the New York Yankees traded veteran catcher Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. In return, the Yankees acquired right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson. This trade marks a significant roster change for both teams as they prepare for the 2024 season. A […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12410,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1196,499],"tags":[1291,384,1292,503,1293,38],"coauthors":[6],"class_list":{"0":"post-12409","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb","8":"category-news","9":"tag-alex-jackson","10":"tag-cincinnati-reds","11":"tag-fernando-cruz","12":"tag-front","13":"tag-jose-trevino","14":"tag-new-york-yankees"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12409\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12410"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12409"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tireball.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=12409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}