Headlines

  • Tim Wakefield Passes Away
  • Buck Showalter Will Not Return As Mets Manager In 2024
  • Felix Bautista To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Signs Through 2025 Season
  • Rockies Sign Charlie Blackmon To One-Year Extension
  • Reds Sign Nick Krall To Extension, Promote Him To President Of Baseball Operations
  • Giants Fire Gabe Kapler
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Luis Cessa

Nationals Release Luis Cessa

By Steve Adams | August 30, 2023 at 3:53pm CDT

The Nationals have released veteran right-hander Luis Cessa, who’d been pitching with their Triple-A affiliate, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. He’s now a free agent.

Cessa, 31, opened the year in the Reds’ rotation but was bounced from the starting staff after just six appearances, during which time he was tagged for 26 runs in 25 innings. He made one appearance out of the bullpen before being designated for assignment and subsequently released.

While he’s since latched on with both the Rockies and Nationals on a pair of minor league deals, he hasn’t fared well in either organization. Cessa pitched 21 1/3 innings with the Rockies’ top affiliate and 20 2/3 innings with the Nats’ Triple-A club, yielding an ERA north of 8.00 during both stints. He’s battled uncharacteristic command issues in both the big leagues and minors this year, and he’s been extremely homer-prone in Triple-A, serving up an average of 1.93 round-trippers per nine innings pitched.

Prior to the 2023 season, Cessa had found success in the bullpen, primarily serving as a long reliever with the Yankees, who traded him to the Reds at the 2021 deadline. From 2019-22, the righty logged 248 innings of 3.77 ERA ball, striking out 19.8% of his opponents against a solid 8.2% walk rate and inducing grounders at an above-average 48.2% clip. The Reds moved him to the rotation late last year and gave him 10 starts, during which he posted a respectable 4.30 ERA with more concerning secondary marks that pointed to some regression (albeit not to anywhere near this extent).

Cessa could still catch on with another team on a minor league deal between now and season’s end. However, given the extent of his struggles, he’d have a difficult time pitching his way back to the big leagues on a postseason contender — and non-contenders may prefer to give those innings to younger options. If that’s it for his 2023 season, Cessa will head back to the market this winter in search of a minor league deal, hoping for an opportunity to put a forgettable ’23 season behind him and get back to his 2019-22 form.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Transactions Washington Nationals Luis Cessa

3 comments

Nationals, Luis Cessa Agree To Minor League Deal

By Anthony Franco | July 6, 2023 at 8:55pm CDT

The Nationals have signed Luis Cessa to a minor league contract and sent him to Triple-A Rochester, tweets Talk Nats. The right-hander had been released from a non-roster deal with the Rockies last week.

Cessa joins his third organization of the season. He opened the season in the Reds’ rotation, his third year in Cincinnati. The 31-year-old had a terrible first few outings, allowing an even 9.00 ERA across 26 innings. He walked 12 and struck out just 11 of 132 batters faced. Cincinnati pulled the plug in early May, turning the rotation spot over to journeyman Ben Lively.

After signing with Colorado, the Mexico-born hurler made six starts for their Triple-A team in Albuquerque. He was tagged for an 8.44 ERA in that extremely hitter-friendly environment. The Rox have been hit with a number of rotation injuries, but Cessa didn’t show enough in his six weeks in the Colorado organization to get a big league look.

While it’s hard to find many positives in Cessa’s 2023 work, he’s been a productive MLB pitcher in prior years. He was a good long reliever for a few seasons, highlighted by a 2.51 ERA showing in 64 2/3 frames between the Yankees and Reds in 2021. He owns a 3.81 ERA in 264 2/3 career innings out of the bullpen. His more recent work since moving to the rotation late last summer hasn’t been good, but he’s at least expanded his versatility as a multi-inning arm for a pitching staff.

Washington can keep him as rotation depth in Triple-A or push him back into the relief role where he’s had more success. If Cessa cracks the MLB roster at any point, Washington would only pay him at the prorated $720K league minimum rate. The Reds remain on the hook for the balance of his $2.65MM salary. Cessa will return to free agency at season’s end.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Transactions Washington Nationals Luis Cessa

2 comments

NL West Notes: Kim, Doyle, Cessa, McCarthy, Fletcher

By Mark Polishuk | May 25, 2023 at 10:16pm CDT

X-rays were negative on Ha-Seong Kim’s left knee, Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) after Kim had to be helped off the field during today’s game.  In the second inning of the Padres’ 8-6 win over the Nationals, Kim fouled a pitch off his knee, knocking him to the ground in obvious pain.  Despite the relatively good news from the imaging, Kim isn’t expected to play on Friday and might end up on the 10-day injured list unless the swelling and discomfort subsides quickly.

Now in his third season with the Padres, Kim is hitting a modest .237/.316/.382 over 172 plate appearances, which works out to a 97 wRC+.  Even this slightly below-average number might be generous considering that Kim’s 22.3% hard-hit ball rate is among the lowest in the league, though he has provided a lot of defensive value to San Diego as a second baseman and, more recently, as a third baseman in place of the injured Manny Machado.  The Padres’ depth would take another hit if both Machado and Kim are out, and Rougned Odor (whose bat has been on fire as of late) would be the likeliest candidate for regular time at third base.  Odor and Brandon Dixon could split time between second and third, Jake Cronenworth could also play second base, and Matt Carpenter could see more time as a first baseman.

More from around the NL West…

  • Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle left today’s game on a cart after colliding with the outfield wall in pursuit of a Jorge Soler home run.  Doyle told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding and other reporters that his right knee “probably took the most impact, and it was pretty excruciating pain at the time,” but “I feel like I could have walked off.”  Doyle will undergo tests to determine the nature and extent of his injury, but Harding reports that the Rockies are already likely to call Nolan Jones up from Triple-A as at least a precautionary replacement.  Making his MLB debut this season, Doyle has hit .240/.288/.467 over 80 PA, but has also gone 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts and displayed some impressive glovework in center field.
  • In another injury concern for the Rockies, Harding tweets that Luis Cessa was removed for precautionary reasons from his Triple-A start after taking a line drive off his right leg.  Cessa was able to face two more batters before leaving the game and he left the field under his own power.  Colorado has already had to deal with several pitching injuries this season, which is part of the reason why Cessa was just signed to a minor league contract earlier this week to provide some additional depth.
  • The Diamondbacks optioned outfielder Dominic Fletcher to Triple-A Reno today, and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the Snakes are calling Jake McCarthy back up to the majors.  It was exactly a month ago that the D’Backs optioned McCarthy to Triple-A after a very slow start to the season, but McCarthy has started to find himself in the minors, hitting .333/.419/.533 over 105 PA (albeit in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League).  With both McCarthy and Alek Thomas sent to the minors, Fletcher was one of the players the D’Backs called upon to pick up the slack in the outfield, and Fletcher delivered a very solid .308/.349/.474 in his first 85 career PA in the big leagues.  It stands to reason that Fletcher will be back with the Diamondbacks sooner or later, unless McCarthy really gets on track at the plate.
Share 0 Retweet 5 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Colorado Rockies Notes San Diego Padres Transactions Brenton Doyle Dominic Fletcher Ha-Seong Kim Jake McCarthy Luis Cessa Nolan Jones

32 comments

Rockies Sign Luis Cessa To Minor League Contract

By Mark Polishuk | May 21, 2023 at 3:31pm CDT

The Rockies have signed right-hander Luis Cessa to a minor league deal, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding reports (Twitter link).  It was only a brief stay in free agency for Cessa, who was released by the Reds earlier this week.

Working as a swingman for the Reds in 2022, Cessa was essentially a full-time starter this year (starting six of seven games) but the results just weren’t there.  The righty posted a 9.00 ERA over 26 innings with more walks (12) than strikeouts (11), and while a .410 BABIP represents some bad luck, Cessa’s Statcast metrics are pretty grim across the board.

Never a big strikeout pitcher, Cessa has generally had better success as a reliever than as a starter, with a 3.81 career ERA coming out of the bullpen compared to a 5.44 ERA starting games.  However, it would seem like the Rockies will give Cessa at least an initial look as a starter given the team’s huge needs in the rotation.  Colorado’s starting five was already a question mark heading into the season, but its depth has been further reduced by multiple injuries, most notably German Marquez’s Tommy John surgery.

The Rockies’ makeshift rotation now consists of Kyle Freeland, Austin Gomber, Connor Seabold, Chase Anderson (just recently acquired on a waiver claim from the Rays), and rookie Karl Kauffmann, who has one MLB start under his belt.  While Cessa’s 2023 numbers don’t look like an upgrade on paper, the Rox might at least prefer having a more experienced arm eat some innings until they start to get some pitchers back from the injured list.

The minor league deal carries basically no risk for the Rockies, since Cincinnati is still covering the bulk of Cessa’s remaining salary (roughly $1.87MM of his initial $2.65MM).  If Cessa is called up, the Rox will owe him only the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary.

Share 0 Retweet 9 Send via email0

Colorado Rockies Transactions Luis Cessa

8 comments

Reds Release Luis Cessa

By Steve Adams | May 16, 2023 at 10:00am CDT

The Reds have released right-hander Luis Cessa following last week’s DFA, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 31-year-old righty will now be free to sign with any club.

Cessa pitched 26 innings with the Reds this season and was tagged for 26 earned runs on the strength of 46 hits and 12 walks. He generally kept the ball in the yard — just three of those 46 knocks were home runs (1.04 HR/9) — but Cessa also only managed 11 strikeouts in his seven appearances (six starts). A .410 average on balls in play and 60.2% strand rate surely contributed to Cessa’s disastrous ERA, but he was also too hittable and didn’t miss anywhere close to even a league-average number of bats.

Cessa has spent the majority of his career working out of the bullpen, though he started 10 games for Cincinnati in 2022 and posted a 4.30 ERA — albeit with less-encouraging peripheral marks (5.02 FIP, 17.1% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate, 1.64 HR/9 mark). In 160 1/3 career innings out of the rotation, Cessa has a 5.44 ERA, but he’s been a solid multi-inning reliever — evidenced by a lifetime 3.81 ERA, 4.35  FIP, 19.9% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate out of the bullpen.

Cincinnati originally acquired Cessa alongside lefty Justin Wilson at the 2021 trade deadline, sending a player to be named later (Jason Parker) to the Yankees in that swap. Injuries have already forced the 25-year-old Parker out of the game; he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 and reinjured his elbow the following season before calling it quits earlier this year, per Brian North of WTCI Channel 12 News. Wilson pitched just 19 2/3 innings with the Reds before his own Tommy John surgery. Cessa was the lone member of that three-player swap who remained healthy and, until this season, had given the Reds a good bit of value (3.95 ERA in 107 innings from 2021-22).

The Reds and Cessa avoided arbitration this past offseason by agreeing to a one-year, $2.65MM deal for the 2023 campaign. That was slated to be his final season of arbitration eligibility before reaching free agency. Now that he’s been released, Cincinnati will be on the hook for the remainder of that sum, with a new team only owing Cessa the prorated portion of the league minimum for any time he spends on the big league roster. That amount would be subtracted from what the Reds still owe the veteran righty.

Share 0 Retweet 13 Send via email0

Cincinnati Reds Transactions Luis Cessa

20 comments

The Reds Should Expand Their Youth Movement Even Further

By Steve Adams | May 9, 2023 at 2:45pm CDT

The Reds entered the 2023 season with a trio of young starters — Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Graham Ashcraft — headlining their rotation, as well as a rookie third baseman (Spencer Steer) and a closer entering just his second big league season (Alexis Diaz). None of that quintet had more than a year of Major League service time. Ashcraft and Steer both had less than one full year. The Reds might’ve spent a small amount on veteran free agents this offseason (e.g. Wil Myers, Luke Weaver, Curt Casali, Luke Maile), but one look at the roster left little doubt this was a rebuilding team.

Six weeks into the season, the youth movement has brokered mixed results. Greene and Ashcraft (Sunday’s meltdown notwithstanding) have both looked impressive in the rotation. Diaz is doing his best impression of his older brother, striking out a stunning 51.2% of his opponents through 11 innings. Steer has delivered roughly league-average offense and shown some versatility, beginning to take regular reps at first base with Myers and Joey Votto both on the injured list. Lodolo has been extraordinarily homer-prone, but his strikeout and walk rates are every bit as encouraging as they were during a strong rookie effort in 2022.

Cincinnati fans are getting a glimpse at the hopeful future core for the Reds, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that more youthful reinforcements are — or should be — on the horizon. The Reds have every reason to let Lodolo try to sort through his homer woes at the big league level, but the fourth and fifth spots of the rotation are another story entirely. Those have been occupied by veterans Weaver and the just minutes-ago-DFA’d Luis Cessa for the bulk of the season, and the results rather unsurprisingly haven’t been good.

Weaver has made just three starts to Cessa’s six, and while a 7.88 ERA doesn’t inspire any confidence, Weaver has at least posted a 26% strikeout rate against an 8.2% walk rate. They’re both better than average marks — the strikeout rate in particular. Like Lodolo (and many other Reds hurlers who have the challenge of pitching at Great American Ball Park), Weaver’s home run rate is through the roof (2.81 HR/9). The Reds spent a couple million dollars to sign him as a free agent, and Weaver’s only had three starts. Ugly as they’ve been, he’ll get another few turns, even if the leash is (or should be) short.

Cessa’s spot seemed far more vulnerable. (Hence the bulk of this piece already having been written just prior to his DFA… thanks for prompting some last-minute rewrites, Reds!) In six starts, he allowed an earned run per inning, walked more batters than he struck out, and was moved to the bullpen for his most recent appearance. He didn’t start a single game from 2019-21, making the Reds’ decision to move him into the rotation last year and then to guarantee him a 2023 rotation spot a rather peculiar one.

Cessa posted a pedestrian 4.30 ERA in ten starts last season with an even less-encouraging 5.02 FIP. That might’ve made him a fine sixth or seventh starting option, but the Reds opted to only sign Weaver this offseason and leave the rotation largely unaddressed. Veteran Chase Anderson was re-signed on a minor league deal, but he’s already been traded to the Rays after triggering an opt-out in his contract. Right-hander Ben Lively was re-signed to a minor league deal, and the Reds selected him to the roster today alongside fellow offseason journeyman pickup Kevin Herget.

It’s not clear whether the 31-year-old Lively and 32-year-old Herget are short-term stopgaps or will get an actual look on the roster in the coming weeks, but even before this afternoon’s slate of moves, the crux of this argument has been that the Reds have more interesting options than the veterans they’ve plugged into the fourth and fifth spots of the rotation thus far. The promotions of Lively and Herget don’t change that.

Lefty Brandon Williamson and right-hander Levi Stoudt both came to Cincinnati by way of trade with the Mariners, coming over in the Jesse Winker/Eugenio Suarez and Luis Castillo trades, respectively. Neither has dominated in Triple-A to begin the season, though Stoudt did make his MLB debut in a spot start last month. Williamson, currently sporting an ERA north of 7.00 in 28 1/3 Triple-A frames, has not yet pitched in the big leagues. It’s worth noting that nearly all the damage against him came in one start, where he did not escape the first inning against the Cubs’ top affiliate and was thrashed for eight runs. Stoudt needs to improve upon the poor command he’s shown in Louisville before getting a real look in the big leagues.

The Reds have one particular minor league powerhouse who looks on the cusp of MLB readiness, however: left-hander Andrew Abbott. The 2021 second-round pick has skyrocketed through the minor leagues, reaching Double-A last year as a 23-year-old in his first full professional season and then overpowering both Double-A and Triple-A opponents early in the 2023 season.

Abbott opened the current campaign with 15 2/3 innings in Double-A, allowing just two runs on six hits and three walks with an astonishing 36 strikeouts. That’s not a typo; Abbott fanned a comical 64.3% of his opponents in those three Double-A starts before the Reds rather naturally jumped him to Triple-A. He hasn’t continued on at that deity-like pace at the top minor league level … he’s “merely” posted a 3.00 ERA with a 38.7% strikeout rate in another 15 innings of work. All in all, Abbott has 30 2/3 innings of 2.05 ERA ball with an eye-popping 50.8% strikeout rate to go along with a 7.6% walk rate, 41.5% ground-ball rate and 0.88 HR/9 mark.

The 23-year-old Abbott’s most recent start just happened to fall on Sunday, which would line him up to be fully rested come Saturday, when the Reds’ listed starter is TBD. That had been Cessa’s spot in the rotation, but Cincinnati opted to start Ashcraft on four days’ rest instead of giving Cessa his usual turn. (Ashcraft was blasted for eight runs in 1 2/3 innings.) It’s always possible that they’ll look into alternatives for the time being, preferring to give Abbott more seasoning and hold off on adding him to the 40-man roster just yet. But each of Williamson (May 5), Stoudt (May 6) and Herget (May 4) saw their most recent starts fall on a date that would line them up to pitch between now and Saturday.

If the Reds are indeed going to tap into their farm to make a change, Abbott is not only the best option in terms of 2023 performance — he’s also the starter who’s likeliest to be on full rest and ready to make that start. Even if Cincinnati bypasses him in favor of Lively or Herget this coming weekend, he’s already made the clear case that he’s a better option for the big league rotation than either Weaver or Cessa. And assuming Williamson can continue to shake off the impact of that catastrophic outing against the Cubs’ Iowa club — he rebounded with a quality start in his next appearance — it might not be long before either he or Stoudt stakes a claim to the fifth spot.

Going with a youth-forward rotation obviously has its pitfalls, but the Reds’ lack of offseason activity on the starting pitching front — both in terms of established big league starters and even in terms of veteran depth on minor league deals — clearly set the stage for that to eventually be the case in 2023. It’s not hard to imagine the Reds rolling with five starters who have under two years of big league service by sometime next month, if not sooner. The next step in the process should come this weekend. It’s only six starts, but Abbott looks like one of the organization’s four best rotation options at this point. Today’s moves might have added some fresh arms in Lively and Herget, but plugging either into the rotation would only continue treading water as they were with Cessa.

Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Cincinnati Reds MLBTR Originals Andrew Abbott Ben Lively Brandon Williamson Kevin Herget Levi Stoudt Luis Cessa Luke Weaver

52 comments

Reds Designate Luis Cessa, Select Ben Lively

By Darragh McDonald | May 9, 2023 at 2:30pm CDT

The Reds announced a series of roster moves today, selecting right-hander Ben Lively and recalling fellow righty Kevin Herget. In corresponding moves, righty Luis Cessa was designated for assignment and left-hander Reiver Sanmartin was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow stress reaction, retroactive to Monday. Additionally, infielder Matt Reynolds, who was designated for assignment on the weekend, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville. The club also released righty Hunter Strickland, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic.

Cessa, 31, spent many years working out of the bullpen for the Yankees before coming to the Reds at the deadline in 2021. He continued working as a reliever for the Reds initially but they converted him to the rotation late last year. They had a few vacancies after they traded away Luis Castillo, Tyler Mahle and Sonny Gray as part of their roster teardown. Cessa was able to hold his own in that new role last year, posting a 3.77 ERA over nine starts as the season was winding down.

He held a rotation job going into 2023 but couldn’t carry those results forward, as he’s been lit up for an ERA of 9.00 through 26 innings so far this year. There’s probably a bit of bad luck in there when considering his .410 batting average on balls in play and 60.2% strand rate but he’s also striking out a paltry 8.3% of batters faced, a significant drop from the 17.8% rate he managed in his nine starts at the end of last year.

The Reds will now have a week to trade Cessa or pass him through waivers. He’s making a salary of $2.65MM this year, which could deter other teams, considering his struggles on the season. Since he has more than five years of service time, in the event he clears waivers, he would have the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency while retaining that salary. If that comes to pass, any of the other 29 teams could sign Cessa for the prorated league minimum with the Reds on the hook for the remainder.

As for Lively, 31, he pitched in the big leagues in three straight years beginning in 2017, posting a 4.80 ERA in 120 innings. He signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League in August of 2019 and stayed with them through the 2021 campaign, registering a 4.14 ERA in his time there.

He returned to North America after that and has signed minor league deals with the Reds in each of the past two offseasons. Last year, he had a 4.09 ERA in 77 innings over 18 Triple-A starts but didn’t get called to the majors. He’s off to an even better start this year in terms of results, currently sporting a 2.33 ERA over 27 innings. There are some caveats to note, as he has just a 15.2% strikeout rate and is being helped by a .224 BABIP and 84.6% strand rate, but he will nonetheless get a chance to replicate those results in the big leagues, returning to the show for the first time since 2019.

Sanmartin is facing a significant absence as he won’t throw at all for the next four to six weeks, manager David Bell tells Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. That leaves Alex Young as the club’s only left-handed reliever for the time being.

As for Reynolds, he has the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency due to having a previous career outright, though it’s not yet clear if he’s chosen to do so. He only spent about a week on the club’s roster and got just five plate appearances in that time.

Strickland, 34, is a veteran who was with the Reds last year, making 66 appearances with a 4.91 ERA. He returned on a minor league deal in the winter, was released when he didn’t make the Opening Day roster but re-signed on another minors deal. Unfortunately, he has an 11.45 ERA through 12 Triple-A appearances and the Reds have released him yet again.

Share 0 Retweet 12 Send via email0

Cincinnati Reds Transactions Ben Lively Hunter Strickland Kevin Herget Luis Cessa Matt Reynolds Reiver Sanmartin

23 comments

Reds Release Hunter Strickland

By Darragh McDonald | March 25, 2023 at 12:07pm CDT

The Reds announced today that right-hander Hunter Strickland has been released. Strickland was one of several veterans who can opt out of their minor league deals today, and it seems the Reds have decided he won’t make the club.

Strickland, 34, had his best years with the Giants earlier in his career, but has gone into journeyman mode of late. Over the past four seasons, he’s suited up for the Mariners, Nationals, Mets, Rays, Angels, Brewers and Reds. He struggled with Cincinnati last year, posting a 4.91 ERA over 66 appearances, striking out 21.1% of batters faced, walking 11.6% and getting grounders at a 34.2% clip. However, he’s not too far removed from a 2021 season that saw him register a 2.61 ERA with better rate stats, though that might have also had some good fortune behind it. His .250 batting average on balls in play and 83.3% strand rate were both on the fortunate side of league averages, leading to a 4.19 FIP and 4.06 SIERA.

The veteran will now head to the open market and look for his next opportunity. With several teams around the league dealing with notable injuries and several more roster cuts and opt-outs to come, Strickland is sure to find interest somewhere, at least on another minor league deal. The Reds had two other veterans who had opt-outs today, none of whom will make the team. Infielder Chad Pinder was released yesterday and right-hander Chase Anderson was reassigned to minor league camp.

Anderson, though, seems like he will stick around. Manager David Bell tells Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer that Anderson will accept his minor league assignment and be part of the Triple-A rotation. Bell also confirmed what seemed likely when Anderson was demoted, that the final two rotation spots will go to Luis Cessa and Connor Overton.

Anderson could have pursued opportunities with other clubs but it’s possible that he’s in a decent spot with the Reds, as he may be the #6 starter at the moment. The front three spots are going to youngsters Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft, as those three will continue their development after encouraging seasons in 2022. With Luke Weaver set to begin the season on the injured list, the final two rotation spots will fall to Cessa and Overton, with Anderson perhaps the next man up if there’s another injury or someone struggles.

The club also has prospects Brandon Williamson and Levi Stoudt on the 40-man, though neither has any major league experience yet and neither impressed in spring. Williamson posted an ERA of 11.20 and Stoudt’s was 13.50 in Cactus League action. They seem ticketed for starts in Triple-A alongside Anderson, though the veteran might be ahead of them if there’s a need for a big league starter early in the season, with those two continuing to develop.

The 35-year-old Anderson was once a solid starter with the Diamondbacks and Brewers, but has struggled in recent years. The past three seasons have each seen him post an ERA above 6.00 at the big league level. Last year, he made nine appearances with the Reds, finishing with a 6.38 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, 14.6% walk rate and 51.6% ground ball rate.

Despite the recent struggles, Anderson’s path to a roster spot isn’t a long shot, as neither Cessa nor Overton are truly established. Cessa, 31 in April, has made 201 MLB appearances but only 29 of those have been starts, with most of those coming earlier in his career. He posted a 4.30 ERA in 10 starts last year. As for Overton, 29, he has just 15 major league games on his résumé thus far. He posted a 2.73 ERA last year but spent most of the season on the injured list due to a stress reaction in his lower back.

Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Cincinnati Reds Transactions Chase Anderson Connor Overton Hunter Strickland Luis Cessa

13 comments

NL Central Notes: Reds, Weaver, Cessa, Suzuki, Wesneski, Miller

By Mark Polishuk | March 19, 2023 at 10:03pm CDT

Luke Weaver hasn’t pitched since Monday due to a sore forearm, and “I think we’d have to push pretty hard to get him ready for Opening Day,” Reds manager David Bell told the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale and other reporters.  Despite the ominous nature of forearm-related injuries, Weaver’s issue seems to be just soreness, and he might throw a bullpen session in a few days’ time.  However, that still doesn’t leave the right-hander with much time to fully build his arm strength in advance of the Reds’ first game on March 30.

Weaver was projected to be Cincinnati’s fourth starter, creating another wrinkle in what was already a battle for the fifth starter’s job.  Connor Overton, Luis Cessa, Brandon Williamson, and non-roster invitee Chase Anderson were all in the running for the final rotation job, and two of those pitchers might now earn jobs if Weaver indeed needs to miss any regular-season time.  Cessa is also a bit of a question mark for workload-related reasons, as he might need to build up his arm since he hasn’t pitched much as a member of Mexico’s World Baseball Classic team.  Even if Cessa doesn’t make the rotation, Bell said the right-hander will still be a member of the Reds’ bullpen.

More from around the NL Central…

  • Cubs manager David Ross provided media (including MLB.com) with an update on Seiya Suzuki, as the outfielder continues to recover from an oblique strain.  Suzuki will likely need to begin the season on the injured list to make up for his lost Spring Training time, but he has been steadily increasing his workouts, and been taking part in some light baseball activities within the last week.
  • Hayden Wesneski has become the favorite for the Cubs’ fifth starter role, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma writes, which could mean that Adrian Sampson will begin the season as a depth starter at Triple-A.  Wesneski made his MLB debut last season, with an impressive 2.18 ERA, 25% strikeout rate, and 5.3% walk rate over the small sample size of 33 innings.  Besides Sampson, Javier Assad is also still in the competition for a rotation job, though Assad hasn’t been amassing innings in spring camp, but rather with Mexico’s WBC team.  Sharma feels Assad might also have a path to Chicago’s roster as a reliever rather than as a starter, if Keegan Thompson’s velocity continues to be inconsistent.
  • The Brewers have been working Owen Miller out in center field, as the team attempts to give itself another outfield option with Tyrone Taylor injured and top prospect Garrett Mitchell nursing a sore hamstring.  “It’s good to get game reps like that.  I’ll keep working every day to see as many balls out there as I can,” Miller told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy.  Acquired in a trade from the Guardians over the offseason, Miller has seen action at all four infield positions (but primarily first and second base) over his two MLB seasons with Cleveland, but one Triple-A game in 2021 represents the entirety of his professional experience as an outfielder.  Still, becoming even more versatile can only help Miller’s chances of carving out a spot on Milwaukee’s roster.
Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Chicago Cubs Cincinnati Reds Milwaukee Brewers Notes Adrian Sampson Hayden Wesneski Javier Assad Keegan Thompson Luis Cessa Luke Weaver Owen Miller Seiya Suzuki

31 comments

Each MLB Team’s Players On WBC Rosters

By Darragh McDonald | February 9, 2023 at 7:30pm CDT

The World Baseball Classic is returning this year, the first time since 2017. The quadrennial event was supposed to take place in 2021 but was scuttled by the pandemic, now returning after a six-year absence. Rosters for the tournament were announced today and those can be found at this link. Here is a breakdown of which players from each MLB team are set to take participate. Quick caveat that this list is fluid and might be changed as more information becomes available.

Without further ado…

Angels

  • Glenn Albanese Jr.
  • Jaime Barria
  • Gustavo Campero
  • Alan Carter
  • Jhonathan Diaz
  • Carlos Estevez
  • David Fletcher
  • Jake Kalish
  • D’Shawn Knowles
  • Shohei Ohtani
  • Jose Quijada
  • Luis Rengifo
  • Gerardo Reyes
  • Patrick Sandoval
  • Mike Trout
  • Gio Urshela
  • Cesar Valdez
  • Zack Weiss
  • Aaron Whitefield

Astros

  • Bryan Abreu
  • Jose Altuve
  • Ronel Blanco
  • Luis Garcia
  • Colton Gordon
  • Cristian Javier
  • Martin Maldonado
  • Rafael Montero
  • Hector Neris
  • Jeremy Pena
  • Ryan Pressly
  • Andre Scrubb
  • Kyle Tucker
  • Jose Urquidy
  • Derek West

Athletics

  • Denzel Clarke
  • Jordan Diaz
  • Jake Fishman
  • Zack Gelof
  • James Gonzalez
  • Adrian Martinez
  • Joshwan Wright

Blue Jays

  • Jose Berrios
  • Jiorgeny Casimiri
  • Yimi Garcia
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
  • Spencer Horwitz
  • Alejandro Kirk
  • Otto Lopez
  • Damiano Palmegiani

Braves

  • Ronald Acuna Jr.
  • Luis De Avila
  • Roel Ramirez
  • Alan Rangel
  • Eddie Rosario
  • Chadwick Tromp

Brewers

  • Willy Adames
  • Sal Frelick
  • Alex Hall
  • Matt Hardy
  • Joel Payamps
  • Rowdy Tellez
  • Abraham Toro
  • Luis Urias
  • Michele Vassalotti
  • Devin Williams

Cardinals

  • Nolan Arenado
  • Genesis Cabrera
  • Tommy Edman
  • Giovanny Gallegos
  • Paul Goldschmidt
  • Ivan Herrera
  • Matt Koperniak
  • Noah Mendlinger
  • Oscar Mercado
  • Miles Mikolas
  • Lars Nootbaar
  • Tyler O’Neill
  • JoJo Romero
  • Adam Wainwright
  • Guillermo Zuniga

Cubs

  • Javier Assad
  • Owen Caissie
  • Danis Correa
  • Ben DeLuzio
  • Roenis Elias
  • Miles Mastrobuoni
  • Matt Mervis
  • B.J. Murray Jr.
  • Vinny Nittoli
  • Fabian Pertuz
  • Liam Spence
  • Seiya Suzuki
  • Marcus Stroman
  • Pedro Strop
  • Nelson Velazquez
  • Jared Young

Diamondbacks

  • Dominic Fletcher
  • Jakob Goldfarb
  • Gunnar Groen
  • Merrill Kelly
  • Ketel Marte
  • Eric Mendez
  • Dominic Miroglio
  • Emmanuel Rivera
  • Jacob Steinmetz
  • Mitchell Stumpo
  • Alek Thomas

Dodgers

  • Austin Barnes
  • Mookie Betts
  • Freddie Freeman
  • Clayton Kershaw
  • Adam Kolarek
  • Miguel Rojas
  • Will Smith
  • Trayce Thompson
  • Julio Urias

Giants

  • Jonathan Bermudez
  • Camilo Doval
  • Joey Marciano
  • Joc Pederson

Guardians

  • Enyel De Los Santos
  • Dayan Frias
  • Andres Gimenez
  • Bo Naylor
  • Richie Palacios
  • Cal Quantrill
  • Cade Smith
  • Meibrys Viloria
  • Josh Wolf

Marlins

  • Sandy Alcantara
  • Luis Arraez
  • Johnny Cueto
  • Jesus Luzardo
  • Anthony Maldonado
  • Jean Segura

Mariners

  • Matt Brash
  • Diego Castillo
  • Matt Festa
  • Harry Ford
  • Teoscar Hernandez
  • Milkar Perez
  • Julio Rodriguez
  • Eugenio Suarez
  • Blake Townsend

Mets

  • Pete Alonso
  • Jonathan Arauz
  • Edwin Diaz
  • Eduardo Escobar
  • Dominic Hamel
  • Elieser Hernandez
  • Francisco Lindor
  • Jeff McNeil
  • Omar Narvaez
  • Cam Opp
  • Adam Ottavino
  • Jose Quintana
  • Brooks Raley
  • Claudio Scotti

Nationals

  • Alberto Baldonado
  • Paolo Espino
  • Lucius Fox
  • Alberto Guerrero
  • Joey Meneses
  • Erasmo Ramirez

Orioles

  • Daniel Federman
  • Darwinzon Hernandez
  • Dean Kremer
  • Cedric Mullins
  • Anthony Santander
  • Rodney Theophile

Padres

  • Xander Bogaerts
  • Nabil Crismatt
  • Nelson Cruz
  • Jarryd Dale
  • Yu Darvish
  • Jose Espada
  • Ruben Galindo
  • Luis Garcia
  • Ha-Seong Kim
  • Manny Machado
  • Nick Martinez
  • Evan Mendoza
  • Juan Soto
  • Brett Sullivan
  • Julio Teheran

Phillies

  • Jose Alvarado
  • Erubiel Armenta
  • Malik Binns
  • Jaydenn Estanista
  • Vito Friscia
  • Brian Marconi
  • J.T. Realmuto
  • Kyle Schwarber
  • Noah Skirrow
  • Gregory Soto
  • Garrett Stubbs
  • Ranger Suarez
  • Trea Turner
  • Taijuan Walker
  • Rixon Wingrove

Pirates

  • David Bednar
  • Tsung-Che Cheng
  • Roansy Contreras
  • Alessandro Ercolani
  • Santiago Florez
  • Jarlin Garcia
  • Antwone Kelly
  • Josh Palacios
  • Jeffrey Passantino
  • Tahnaj Thomas
  • Duane Underwood Jr.
  • Chavez Young
  • Rob Zastryzny

Rangers

  • Mitch Bratt
  • Jose Leclerc
  • Martin Perez

Rays

  • Jason Adam
  • Jonathan Aranda
  • Randy Arozarena
  • Christian Bethancourt
  • Trevor Brigden
  • Wander Franco
  • Andrew Gross
  • Joe LaSorsa
  • Francisco Mejia
  • Isaac Paredes
  • Harold Ramirez
  • Graham Spraker

Red Sox

  • Jorge Alfaro
  • Richard Bleier
  • Rafael Devers
  • Jarren Duran
  • Ian Gibaut
  • Rio Gomez
  • Norwith Gudino
  • Enrique Hernandez
  • Nick Pivetta
  • Henry Ramos
  • Alex Verdugo
  • Masataka Yoshida

Reds

  • Donovan Benoit
  • Silvino Bracho
  • Luis Cessa
  • Fernando Cruz
  • Alexis Diaz
  • Arij Fransen
  • Kyle Glogoski
  • Tayron Guerrero
  • Evan Kravetz
  • Nicolo Pinazzi
  • Reiver Sanmartin
  • Vin Timpanelli

Rockies

  • Daniel Bard
  • Jake Bird
  • Yonathan Daza
  • Elias Diaz
  • Kyle Freeland
  • Justin Lawrence
  • German Marquez
  • Michael Petersen
  • Alan Trejo

Royals

  • Max Castillo
  • Robbie Glendinning
  • Carlos Hernandez
  • Nicky Lopez
  • MJ Melendez
  • Vinnie Pasquantino
  • Salvador Perez
  • Brady Singer
  • Bobby Witt Jr.
  • Angel Zerpa

Tigers

  • Javier Baez
  • Miguel Cabrera
  • Chavez Fernander
  • Andy Ibanez
  • Jack O’Loughlin
  • Jacob Robson
  • Eduardo Rodriguez
  • Jonathan Schoop
  • John Valente

Twins

  • Jose De Leon
  • Edouard Julien
  • Jorge Lopez
  • Pablo Lopez
  • Carlos Luna
  • Jose Miranda
  • Jovani Moran
  • Emilio Pagan
  • Christian Vazquez

White Sox

  • Tim Anderson
  • Kendall Graveman
  • Eloy Jimenez
  • Lance Lynn
  • Yoan Moncada
  • Nicholas Padilla
  • Luis Robert
  • Jose Ruiz

Yankees

  • Indigo Diaz
  • Kyle Higashioka
  • Jonathan Loaisiga
  • Gleyber Torres
Share 0 Retweet 14 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Guardians Colorado Rockies Detroit Tigers Houston Astros Kansas City Royals Los Angeles Angels Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins Milwaukee Brewers Minnesota Twins New York Mets New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Pittsburgh Pirates San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Seattle Mariners St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Washington Nationals Aaron Whitefield Abraham Toro Adam Kolarek Adam Ottavino Adam Wainwright Adrian Martinez Alan Rangel Alan Trejo Alberto Baldonado Alejandro Kirk Alek Thomas Alex Hall Alex Verdugo Alexis Diaz Andre Scrubb Andres Gimenez Andy Ibanez Angel Zerpa Anthony Santander Austin Barnes Ben DeLuzio Bo Naylor Brady Singer Brett Sullivan Brooks Raley Bryan Abreu Cal Quantrill Camilo Doval Carlos Estevez Carlos Hernandez Cedric Mullins Cesar Valdez Chadwick Tromp Chavez Young Christian Bethancourt Christian Vazquez Clayton Kershaw Cristian Javier Daniel Bard Darwinzon Hernandez David Bednar David Fletcher Dean Kremer Devin Williams Diego Castillo Dominic Fletcher Duane Underwood Eddie Rosario Edouard Julien Eduardo Escobar Eduardo Rodriguez Edwin Diaz Elias Diaz Elieser Hernandez Eloy Jimenez Emilio Pagan Emmanuel Rivera Enrique Hernandez Enyel De Los Santos Erasmo Ramirez Eugenio Suarez Evan Mendoza Fernando Cruz Francisco Lindor Francisco Mejia Freddie Freeman Garrett Stubbs Genesis Cabrera Gerardo Reyes German Marquez Giovanny Gallegos Gleyber Torres Gregory Soto Guillermo Zuniga Harold Ramirez Harry Ford Hector Neris Henry Ramos Ian Gibaut Isaac Paredes Ivan Herrera J.T. Realmuto Jacob Robson Jaime Barria Jake Bird Jake Fishman Jared Young Jarlin Garcia Jarren Duran Jason Adam Javier Assad Javier Baez Jean Segura Jeff McNeil Jeremy Pena Jesus Luzardo Jhonathan Diaz Joc Pederson Joel Payamps Joey Meneses Johnny Cueto JoJo Romero Jonathan Aranda Jonathan Arauz Jonathan Bermudez Jonathan Loaisiga Jonathan Schoop Jordan Diaz Jorge Alfaro Jorge Lopez Jose Altuve Jose Alvarado Jose Berrios Jose De Leon Jose Leclerc Jose Miranda Jose Quijada Jose Quintana Jose Ruiz Jose Urquidy Josh Palacios Josh Wolf Jovani Moran Juan Soto Julio Rodriguez Julio Teheran Julio Urias Justin Lawrence Kendall Graveman Ketel Marte Kyle Freeland Kyle Higashioka Kyle Schwarber Kyle Tucker Lance Lynn Lucius Fox Luis Arraez Luis Cessa Luis Garcia Luis Rengifo Luis Robert Luis Urias Manny Machado Marcus Stroman Martin Maldonado Martin Perez Masataka Yoshida Matt Brash Matt Festa Matt Mervis Max Castillo Meibrys Viloria Merrill Kelly Miguel Cabrera Miguel Rojas Mike Trout Miles Mastrobuoni Miles Mikolas MJ Melendez Mookie Betts Nabil Crismatt Nelson Cruz Nelson Velazquez Nicholas Padilla Nick Martinez Nick Pivetta Nicky Lopez Nolan Arenado Omar Narvaez Oscar Hernandez Oscar Mercado Otto Lopez Owen Caissie Pablo Lopez Paolo Espino Patrick Sandoval Paul Goldschmidt Pedro Strop Pete Alonso Rafael Devers Rafael Montero Randy Arozarena Ranger Suarez Red Sox Reiver Sanmartin Richard Bleier Richie Palacios Roansy Contreras Rob Zastryzny Roel Ramirez Roenis Elias Ronald Acuna Ronel Blanco Rowdy Tellez Ryan Pressly Sal Frelick Salvador Perez Sandy Alcantara Seiya Suzuki Shohei Ohtani Silvino Bracho Spencer Horwitz Tahnaj Thomas Taijuan Walker Tayron Guerrero Teoscar Hernandez Tim Anderson Tommy Edman Trayce Thompson Trea Turner Vinnie Pasquantino Vinny Nittoli Vladimir Guerrero Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Wander Franco Will Smith Willy Adames Xander Bogaerts Yimi Garcia Yoan Moncada Yonathan Daza Yu Darvish Zack Weiss

112 comments
Load More Posts
Show all

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Tim Wakefield Passes Away

    Buck Showalter Will Not Return As Mets Manager In 2024

    Felix Bautista To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Signs Through 2025 Season

    Rockies Sign Charlie Blackmon To One-Year Extension

    Reds Sign Nick Krall To Extension, Promote Him To President Of Baseball Operations

    Giants Fire Gabe Kapler

    Orioles Agree To 30-Year Lease At Camden Yards

    Padres Prefer To Retain A.J. Preller, Bob Melvin In 2024

    Brooks Robinson Passes Away

    Reds’ Matt McLain Shut Down For Remainder Of 2023 Season

    Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible

    Marlins Place Eury Perez On 15-Day Injured List, Select Jeff Lindgren

    Sandy Alcantara Shut Down For Rest Of 2023 Season

    Brandon Lowe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Kneecap Fracture

    Rays Promote Junior Caminero

    Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement

    Tigers Name Jeff Greenberg General Manager

    Qualifying Offer Value To Land Around $20.5MM

    Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery

    Marlins Claim Matt Moore From Guardians

    Recent

    Braves Outright Ehire Adrianza To Triple-A

    Coaching Notes: Guardians, Albernaz, Giants, Yankees, Casey, White Sox

    Tim Wakefield Passes Away

    Buck Showalter Will Not Return As Mets Manager In 2024

    Cubs Announce Several Roster Moves

    Twins Designate Gilberto Celestino For Assignment

    Blue Jays Designate Jay Jackson For Assignment

    Reds Select Alan Busenitz

    Marlins Designate Matt Moore For Assignment

    Giants Activate Brandon Crawford From 10-Day IL

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Shohei Ohtani Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version