The New York Yankees got a pitcher with a last name that will be familiar to sports fans. On March 31, the Yankees traded money to the Chicago White Sox for right-handed pitcher Jake Cousins.
The Yankees announced the deal on their official X (formerly Twitter) account.
He is the cousin (no pun intended) of NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins.
“Cousins, 29, is the cousin of star NFL quarterback Kirk, who recently signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons that includes $100 million guaranteed,” wrote The New York Post’s Justin Tasch.
Cousins started his professional baseball career as a 20th-round pick of the Washington Nationals in the 2017 MLB draft. At that time, his cousin also played in Washington for the then nicknamed Redskins.
In addition to the Nationals, Cousins has spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros and White Sox before the March 31 trade.
All of his MLB appearances came with the Brewers from 2021-23. He has gone 3-1 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.386 WHIP in 51 relief appearances.
New York Yankees Acquire Jake Cousins From White Sox
With Cousins, the Yankees will likely be adding a right-handed arm to the bullpen.
In a small sample, he is coming off the worst statistical season of his career. Cousins posted a 4.82 ERA with a 2.143 WHIP in 9.1 innings with the Brewers last year.
From a statistical standpoint, he performed even worse at the minor league level during 2023. He recorded a 6.35 ERA and a 1.659 WHIP over 28.1 innings in the minors. He had a 7.30 ERA with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.
But Cousins appeared very sharp during spring training for the White Sox. During 7 innings of relief in the Cactus League, he registered a 1.29 ERA with a 1 WHIP and 11 strikeouts. He also walked just 2 batters, and the only run he allowed was on a solo homer.
With the Brewers from 2021-22, though, Cousins was a reliable middle reliever. He went 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 1.223 WHIP in 43.1 innings. He also struck out 65 batters but struggled with control at times with 27 walks.
Cousins joined the Brewers as a free agent in July 2019 after the Nationals released him in March. On July 31, 2023, the Astros claimed Cousins off waivers, but he never pitched for the MLB club in Houston.
He then signed as a free agent with the White Sox on December 5.
Pinstripes Nation’s Amanda Cunha wrote that “Cousins’ role within the organization remains uncertain” but implied that he will likely add depth to the team’s bullpen.
Kirk Cousins Gave Jake a Shout Out After Getting Drafted
Kirk hasn’t reacted publicly to his cousin joining one of the biggest brands in American sports. But he did share a reaction on social media after the Nationals drafted his younger cousin in 2017.
“Congrats to my cousin, Jake, being drafted by the Washington Nationals today!” Kirk wrote on Twitter on June 14, 2017. “There’s room for another Cousins in DC!”
Unfortunately for the Cousins family, their career paths only crossed in Washington for one year. Kirk signed with the Minnesota Vikings before the 2018 season. Jake never pitched for the Nationals.
Similar to Jake, Kirk has recently switched to a different team. Kirk signed his $180 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons at the start of NFL free agency.
