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Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
The New York Yankees traded catcher Jose Trevino to the Cincinnati Reds for right-hander Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson, the teams announced Friday.
The move represents a passing of the torch behind the plate for the Yankees.
Trevino, 32, arrived in New York via trade with the Texas Rangers before the start of the 2022 season to start at catcher. He excelled with his bat in the first half of that season, making his first and only All-Star team. He also won a Gold Glove and the American League Platinum Glove after leading all catchers with 21 defensive runs saved. He finished the season batting .248 with 11 home runs and a .671 OPS.
Injuries limited Trevino to 55 games in 2023. He began the 2024 campaign as the Yankees’ starting catcher until he landed on the injured list because of a quadriceps injury in July.
Austin Wells, a rookie, replaced Trevino and didn’t surrender the starting job for the remainder of the season. Trevino finished the year hitting .215 with eight home runs and a .642 OPS in 73 games. Wells finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting after batting .229 with 13 home runs and a .718 OPS in 115 games.
With the trade of Trevino, who is slated for free agency after next season, the 25-year-old Wells figures to report to spring training as the team’s every-day catcher.
Cruz made his major league debut at 32 years old in 2022. Now 34, the right-hander has a 4.52 ERA in 141 games as a big leaguer. Last season, Cruz posted a 4.86 ERA with 109 strikeouts in 69 appearances. He is not eligible for arbitration until the 2026 season.
Cruz is the Yankees’ second bullpen acquisition this offseason. They acquired closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers last week.
Cincinnati sent Jackson to New York after signing him to a minor league contract last month. The 28-year-old catcher has a .132 career batting average with six home runs and a .456 OPS in 124 games across five seasons for the Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves.
