Here’s a quick look at the four pitchers acquired:
- Jake Bird – Bird, 30, has been a middle reliever for the Rockies (2022-2024) and the Yankees (2025-2026), splitting time between AAA and the majors. His best season was 2023 in which he spent all year in Colorado, goijg 3-3 in 70 appearances with 4.33 ERA.
- Jack Cebert – Cebert was a 15th Rd. pick in ’25 and was a starter for the Patriots, making 12 starts, 13 appearances and posting a line 4.90/1.38/4.59 over 64⅓ IP. He was the Yankees #15 prospect. As the line suggests, he’s a pitch-to-contact whose strength is generating ground balls, though the Nats may decide to return him to a relief role as he did in college where he was in the high 90s. Currently on the I.L. (July 25)
- Yovanny Cruz – Cruz was recalled to New York for the second time this season yesterday after making 31 appearances out of the ‘pen for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 7-3 with a 3.53 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, four saves, four holds, and a 13.1 K/9 rate—thanks to a FB that breaks into triple digits—after signing with the Yankees as an MLFA in the offseason. The 27-y.o. is in his 11th season as a pro and the Nats will be his fifth organization after signing as an IFA with the Cubs in 2016.
- Ben Grable – Drafted last year in the 11th Rd. by New York, the 24-y.o. has already gotten Nationals elbow out of the way (2024). He features a high-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider. In 26 appearances for AA Somerset, he’s gone 3-1` with a 2.79 ERA, 29 K’s, eight BB’s, and one HR. Prior to the trade he was ranked the #25 prospect by MLB Pipeline
At first blush, it looks like the Nats “won” the trade by getting two pitching prospects and two MLB-ready relievers during a career year. On the other hand, the Yankees have acquired a player who remains under team control through 2027. Given the utter lack of healthy and age-appropriate pitchers above High-A, this is probably a gamble worth making and buys time for the younger pitchers.