Cessa signed a one-year, $2.65 million contract with the Reds on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

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.

Cessa was removed from Tuesday's start against the Cubs with a knee injury, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

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

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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 a 4.78 ERA into his projected start in Pittsburgh next week.

Cessa will start Friday's home game against the Brewers, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

EDGE Analysis

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.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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 his 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.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.

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.

EDGE Analysis

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.