By Mike Whiteman December 23, 2024
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On Friday evening, the Yankees acquired reliever Fernando Cruz and career backup catcher Alex Jackson from Cincinnati for Jose Trevino . Cruz is the prize of the deal for the Yanks - his 14.7 strikeouts per nine innings was the highest in 2024 MLB among pitchers with 50 or more innings. He also walked almost five batters per nine, so there's some work for Matt Blake to do in order to make him a trusted member of the Yankee pen in 2025. His Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) of 3.27 (as opposed to his 4.86 ERA) indicates that the potential is there.
It's a risk worth taking, though a part of me is sad to see Trevino go - he strikes me as one of the good guys in the game. That being said, the emergence of Austin Wells made him expendable from a baseball perspective, and kudos to Brian Cashman for adding an intriguing arm to the bullpen mix.
The Yankees have been active this offseason, starting with the signing of Max Fried and trades for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger. One thing that I had said when Juan Soto decided to sign with the Mets was that the Yankee offseason was going to get real interesting, real fast, and it has.
There's a strong feeling that Cashman isn't done "shopping" yet, with multiple holes in the infield or perhaps the outfield to be filled. I personally believe that Bellinger will begin the 2025 season as the center fielder, but his positional flexibility give the Yanks the option of moving him to first base if they come upon another good outfield option.
With the holidays coming up, most many of us will take some time off to be with our families. We may have some vacation time to take which allows us to focus away from our jobs for a short time. Unfortunately, a big league General Manager can't just take some PTO and ask his second in command to made trades or sign free agents. With a brisk player market this winter and desirable players like Christian Walker recently coming off the board, GMs with shopping lists need to stay engaged and in touch even over the holidays or risk losing impact players to other teams. So, the deals continue.
I wrote a similar article to this one last year discussing holiday season transactions, and sure enough the Yankees pulled off a big trade the day after Christmas - they dealt Esteban Florial to Cleveland for Cody Morris.
Well, maybe that wasn't much of a deal at all.
But, big things have happened over the holidays - here are some memorable festive transactions:
December 24, 1996 - The Yankees sign David Wells as a free agent. The big lefty had an eventful tenure in Pinstripes from 1997-1998, capped with a dream 1998 season - 18-4, 3.49, a perfect game, and 4-0, 2.93 postseason. He was ultimately dealt to Toronto in 1999 in the stunning trade for Roger Clemens, and later returned to the Bronx for a useful stint in 2002-2003.
December 27, 1984 – Not all gifts are winners. The Yanks signed free-agent pitcher Ed Whitson to a huge (for the time) contract worth $4.4 million over five years. The signing was a mystifying one then and now, as he came to the Bronx with a career losing record and 3.60 ERA. Sadly, Whitson was not a good fit, with a brutal 5.38 ERA in a season-plus with the Yankees and an infamous fight with manager Billy Martin.
December 28, 1995 – Future Hall-of-Famer Tim Raines joined the Yankees in a trade with the Chicago White Sox. Raines was a shadow of the great player he had been for the Montreal Expos, but was a useful role player and a positive veteran influence in the late 1990s Yankee teams.
December 28, 2015 – In one of the more controversial deals made in recent team history, the Yanks picked up lefty reliever Aroldis Chapman, at what many called a discount price, in a swap with the Reds. Chapman had been under MLB investigation for domestic violence at the time of the trade, and was eventually suspended for 30 games in 2016. He was later dealt to the Cubs at the 2016 trade deadline, then signed by the Yanks as a free agent after the season was over. Chapman's Yankee stats look pretty good (153 saves, 2.94 ERA), but postseason failings and his ugly exit hang a cloud over his time with the team. December 30, 1995 - Another signing that didn't work out as hoped - the Yankees signed Kenny Rogers to a free agent contract. The lefty was at least serviceable in 1996 (12-8, 4.68, 107 ERA+) as the Yanks returned to glory with their World Series win. A 5.65 ERA in 1997 landed Rogers on the trading block, and he was dealt to Oakland for future World Series MVP Scott Brosius. December 31, 1974 - The first big free agent, Jim "Catfish" Hunter, inks a huge (for its time) five year - $3.75 million contract with the Yanks. Hunter was Cy Young Award caliber in 1975 (23-14, 2.58) and good, thought not great, afterwards. Many say the Hunter signing set the tone for the transformation of a franchise that hadn't won anything since 1964 to the team that won three consecutive AL flags and two World Series championships.
January 1, 2005 - Hero of the 1996-2001 Yankees Tino Martinez returns to the Yanks. Martinez had left the team after the 2001 season as they pursued free agent Jason Giambi. Tino and Giambi split time at first base in 2005, with Martinez a frequent late-inning defensive replacement. The Yankees declined to retain Tino after the season was over, and he subsequently retired. Happy Holidays to all!
