The New York Yankees today announced that they have acquired RHP Fernando Cruz and C Alex Jackson from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for C Jose Trevino.
Cruz, 34, went 3-8 with a 4.86 ERA (66.2IP, 54H, 36R/ER, 35BB, 109K, 9HR) in 69 appearances (three starts) with the Cincinnati Reds in 2024. Among Major League pitchers that tossed at least 50.0 innings in 2024, his 14.72 strikeouts per 9.0 innings ratio was the highest in the Majors and his 37.8% strikeout rate ranked third. His 95 strikeouts as a reliever were also the third-most in the National League and tied for the 10th-most in the Majors among relievers.
Over three Major League seasons with the Reds (2022-24), the right-handed pitcher has gone 4-11 with a 4.52 ERA (147.1IP, 115H, 78R/74ER, 72BB, 228K, 16HR) in 141 games (seven starts). In his career, he has held right-handed batters to a .187/.270/.319 (58-for-310) slash line.
Since 2023, Cruz's 185 strikeouts as a reliever are the fifth-most among Major League relievers over that span, trailing only Bryan Abreu (203K), Aroldis Chapman (201K), Josh Hader (190K) and Tanner Scott (188K).
The Bayamón, P.R., native was originally selected by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He was signed by the Reds to a Minor League contract on Jan. 27, 2022.
Jackson, 28, hit .122 (17-for-139) with 17R, 7 doubles, 3HR, 12RBI, 12BB and 1SB in 58 games with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2024. The catcher threw out 11-of-39 (28.2%) attempted base-stealers last season. He also played 28 games with Triple-A Durham, batting .238 (25-for-105) with 17R, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 8HR, 20RBI and 12BB.
The right-handed batter has hit .132 (40-for-302) with 30R, 12 doubles, 6HR, 24RBI and 26BB in 124 games over parts of five Major League seasons with the Atlanta Braves (2019-21), Miami Marlins (2021), Milwaukee Brewers (2022) and Tampa Bay (2024). The San Diego, Calif., native was originally selected by the Seattle Mariners in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. He was signed by the Cincinnati Reds as a Minor League free agent on Nov. 5, 2024.
Trevino, 32, hit .215 (45-for-209) with 26R, 5 doubles, 8HR, 28RBI and 20BB in 74 games with the Yankees in 2024. Over parts of seven Major League seasons with the Texas Rangers (2018-21) and the Yankees (2022-24), the catcher has hit .236 (281-for-1,190) with 131R, 52 doubles, 1 triple, 32HR, 141RBI and 61BB in 400 career games. The Corpus Christi, Texas, native was originally selected in the sixth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Oral Roberts University. Trevino was acquired by the Yankees from the Texas Rangers in exchange for RHP Albert Abreu and LHP Robert Ahlstrom on April 2, 2022.