Yankees deal Luis Cessa, Justin Wilson to Reds in salary dump | What it means

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Baseball’s trade deadline still is two days away and the Yankees already have been buyers and sellers this week.

A day after dealing for a cheap bullpen arm, general manager Brian Cashman dumped salary after the Yankees’ 4-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night by trading veteran relievers Justin Wilson and Luis Cessa to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later.

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The wheeling and dealing, which included the Pittsburgh Pirates trading right-hander Clay Holmes to the Yankees for two minor leaguers on Monday, saves $1.08 million towards the $210 million luxury tax threshold. According to Cots Baseball, the Yankees’ luxury tax number now is $207,631,173, which computes to $2.369 million under.

What’s next?

The rumor mill has the Yankees in the running to acquire offensive help such as Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo or Miami Marlins center fielder Starling Marte.

It’s also possible that the Yankees don’t do anything major prior to Friday’s 4 p.m., EST deadline.

It’s believed Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner’s goal this year is keeping payroll under $210 million to reset the luxury-tax clock, and it’s seems unlikely he’ll change his mind with his inconsistent 52-47 ballclub nine games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East standings and 2.5 games behind the Oakland Athletics for the second AL Wild Card.

With this week’s deals, the Yankees now can add Gallo’s left-handed power bat and still stay under the luxury tax. Gallo, who is hitting .223 with 25 homers and 55 RBI in 95 games, is making $6.2 million this season and the Yankees would be responsible for about one third of it, which is $2.067 million.

The Yankees probably would have to dump more salary or have their trade partner eat money to acquire Story ($17M salary, $5.83M for final 2 months) or Marte ($12.5M salary, $4.17M for final 2 months).

The Yankees saved only $350,000 in luxury tax and lose a pretty solid reliever in Cessa, a 29-year-old righty who is 3-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 29 relief appearances this season. The Mexican has a 4.19 ERA over 131 career games, 19 as a starter, all for the Yankees from 2016-21.

The Yankees probably were forced to include Cessa to get the Reds to take on the remainder of Wilson’s one-year, $5.15 contract, which includes a $2.85 million salary for 2021 plus a $2.3 million player option, $7.15 million club option or $1.15 million buyout for 2022. Also included in the deal is a club option for 2023 at the major league minimum plus $500,000 and performance bonus if the 2022 player option is exercised.

Wilson, 33, has had a miserable season that’s included massive struggles (7.50 ERA, 21 games) plus two injured list stints (shoulder inflammation, hamstring strain).

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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RandyJMiller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.