Reds' Luis Cessa: Starting Sunday after leaving WBC
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Cessa is starting Sunday's Cactus League game against the Brewers after leaving Team Mexico before the semifinal of the World Baseball Classic, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic of The Athletic.
Cessa threw only two innings with Team Mexico during the WBC, and the right-hander will now hope to get stretched out before the start of the regular season. If Cessa pitches well, he has a chance to open the season in the rotation, and if not he could be a multi-inning reliever to begin the year.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Has inside track for rotation spot
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Cessa "seemingly has the inside track" to win a spot in the Reds' rotation, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
He and Luke Weaver (forearm) have been the favorites to capture the final two rotation spots, although Weaver's injury could give Brandon Williamson, Chase Anderson or Connor Overton an opening. Cessa has split time between starting and relieving in his career, but he pitched pretty well down the stretch in 2022 with a 3.65 ERA in his final seven starts. He doesn't offer much swing-and-miss but has proven adept at inducing groundballs.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Avoids arbitration
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Cessa signed a one-year, $2.65 million contract with the Reds on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
After logging a 2.51 ERA, 1.14 WHIP season in 2021, Cessa took a considerable step back during his first full season with the Reds. The 30-year-old reliever turned in a 4.57 ERA and 1.29 WHIP through 80.2 frames while also missing nearly a month due to back problems. Cessa failed to strike batters out at a particularly high rate and struggled with walks quite a bit. If these issues continue, high-leverage opportunities may be hard to come by next season.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Departs with knee injury
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Cessa was removed from Tuesday's start against the Cubs with a knee injury, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Cessa allowed a solo home run to Willson Contreras but otherwise kept the Cubs off the board before his outing was cut short by the injury after five innings. The specifics of the injury remain unclear, but the right-hander will have the next four months to get healthy before the start of spring training in February. He finished 2022 with a 4.57 ERA and 59:28 K:BB across 80.2 innings
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Turns in quality start
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Cessa allowed three earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two across six innings Wednesday against the Pirates. He did not factor into the decision.
Cessa turned in his first quality start since shifting from the bullpen to the rotation in late August. He allowed all three of his earned runs in his first two innings of work, but he retired 12 of the last 14 hitters he faced. Cessa has now allowed only five earned runs across his last 15.2 innings of work, though he's backed that with a much less convincing 6:8 K:BB.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Stuck with fourth loss
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Cessa (4-4) yielded three runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks over 4.2 innings Friday, striking out three and taking a loss against Milwaukee.
Cessa coughed up two runs in the second inning and was tagged with a third in the fifth frame. The 30-year-old righty failed to complete at least five innings of work for the first time since Aug. 27. Since officially joining the rotation, Cessa has posted a 3.94 ERA through seven starts. He'll carry an overall 4.78 ERA on the year into his projected start in Pittsburgh next week.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Starting on short notice Friday
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Cessa will start Friday's home game against the Brewers, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Cessa was initially slated to start Sunday's game against Milwaukee, but he'll start two days earlier than expected after Mike Minor (shoulder) was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday. Although Cessa is starting on short notice, he should be fully rested since his last start was Sunday against St. Louis. Over his last five outings, he's posted a 3.55 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 25.1 innings.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Picks up win Sunday
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Cessa (4-3) allowed a hit and two walks while striking out one in five scoreless innings to earn the win over the Cardinals on Sunday.
Cessa gave up a season-high five runs during Tuesday's start against the Pirates, but he was much more effective on the road against St. Louis during Sunday's series finale to pick up his first win since June 14. Over his six appearances since taking on a rotation spot, the right-hander has posted a 3.95 ERA and 21:4 K:BB in 27.1 innings. Cessa projects to make his next start at home against the Brewers on Saturday.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Hit hard in third loss
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Cessa (3-3) took the loss in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Pirates, coughing up five runs on eight hits -- including three home runs -- and a walk over 5.2 innings. He struck out five.
He served up long balls in each of his final three frames as Ke'Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Cal Mitchell all took him deep. Cessa has been having trouble keeping the ball in the yard beyond Tuesday -- he's served up seven homers in his last 22.1 innings, saddling him with a 4.84 ERA over that stretch despite an otherwise solid 1.16 WHIP and 21:4 K:BB.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Season-high eight strikeouts
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Cessa did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two runs on three hits and no walks over 5.2 innings against the Cubs. He struck out eight.
In his fifth start of the season, Cessa turned one of his better outings as he set a season-high with eight strikeouts and did not allow a run to score through the first four innings. Nico Hoerner tagged him for a leadoff triple in the fifth and came around to score on a sacrifice fly. The second run came in the sixth after surrendering a two-out double to Seiya Suzuki, who scored after manager David Bell pulled Cessa. The outing was Cessa's second of at least five innings and moved his ERA under 5.00 for the first time since June 14. He is next scheduled to start against Pittsburgh next week.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Strikes out four in five innings
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Cessa did not factor into the decision against the Rockies on Friday, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four and walking two across five innings.
Cessa allowed two runs to score on a Sean Bouchard home run in the third inning. It would be Colorado's only two runs of the game as Cessa and the Reds' bullpen would shut down the Rockies for the next six innings. Cessa tossed 43 of 69 pitches for strikes across five frames, his longest outing of the year. The performance actually improved his ERA to where it now sits at 5.18.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Pitches well Saturday
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Cessa allowed one run on four hits and no walks while striking out one batter over four innings in a no-decision against Washington on Saturday.
Cessa didn't go deep enough to qualify for the win, but that was due to the fact that he's still working his way up to a starter's workload after coming out of the bullpen for all but three games this season. The right-hander did increase his pitch count to 57 after throwing 41 pitches in his previous outing, and the only run he gave up was on a second-inning Lane Thomas solo home run. Cessa could continue to stretch out as a starter given the effective performance, but his numbers -- 5.36 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 6.6 K/9 -- and skill set don't make him an attractive fantasy option.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Drawing another start
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Cessa is listed as the Reds' scheduled starting pitcher for Saturday's game in Washington.
Manager David Bell is prepared to let Cessa get stretched out as a starter, even though his transition to the rotation in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Phillies didn't go as planned. The right-hander was lifted after two innings and took the loss after surrendering two earned runs on three hits -- including two solo home runs -- and a walk while striking out three. Cessa tossed only 41 pitches in the outing, so he shouldn't be expected to work deep into Saturday's start even if he finds more success this time around.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Takes loss in short outing
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Cessa (3-2) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in two innings Monday, striking out three and taking a loss against the Phillies.
Cessa worked through a scoreless inning before coughing up back-to-back solo home runs to Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott in the second. It was the 30-year-old's second start of the year and the second time he's completed two innings of work. Cessa's ERA rose to 5.67 through 38 appearances.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Getting look in rotation
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Cessa will start Monday's game against the Phillies, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Cessa isn't fully stretched out, but the Reds aren't calling him an opener. Manager David Bell further elaborated that Cessa may have a chance to stick in the rotation beyond Monday, citing his past experience as a starter. However, Cessa has not started multiple games in a campaign since 2018, so the team could also opt to turn back to T.J. Zeuch or give Brandon Williamson a few turns through the rotation prior to the close of the regular season. As a reliever, Cessa has a 5.50 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 28:15 K:BB across 37.2 frames this season.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Reinstated by Reds
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Cessa (back) was activated from the injured list Tuesday.
Cessa missed just shy of four weeks with his injury, but he is ready to resume pitching for the Reds. He struggled a bit before landing on the injured list, so he may be forced to work his way back into a late-inning role.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Close to returning
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Cessa (back) is close to returning from the IL and won't need a rehab stint, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.
Cessa has struggled this season, posting a 6.68 ERA and 1.65 WHIP over 31 innings, after being a nice addition last season down the stretch run. However, with the Reds' bullpen decimated, he still might pick up a few holds as the campaign winds down.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Dealing with back injury
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Cessa was placed on the 15-day injured list with a muscle strain in his back Thursday, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Cessa was originally believed to have suffered an oblique or intercostal injury, though Cincinnati later clarified the exact nature of the issue. He'll be out until at least the third week of July.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Lands on 15-day IL
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Cessa was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left side injury Thursday.
Cessa exited Thursday's matinee against Pittsburgh due to his side injury, and the issue will keep him out until after the All-Star break. The right-hander joins a lengthy list of Reds relievers on the injured list, while Robert Dugger was recalled to take his place in the bullpen.
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Reds' Luis Cessa: Exits with injury
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Cessa was removed from Thursday's game against the Pirates with an apparent injury, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Cessa induced a groundout and walked a batter during the seventh inning Thursday before exiting with the athletic trainer. He should be considered day-to-day until his status is updated.
