CINCINNATI (WXIX) – For a team with a history of unraveling due to depleted starting pitching, the Cincinnati Reds may have made their most important move yet — and it’s flying under the radar. On Wednesday night, they acquired right-hander Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays, addressing what had become a dangerously thin rotation just in time.
Littell’s arrival couldn’t be better timed. With Hunter Greene sidelined by a groin injury and rookie Chase Burns nearing an innings cap, the Reds were teetering on the edge of another late-season pitching collapse — something that plagued them in 2021, 2023, and 2024. Littell, a steady innings-eater with a 3.72 ERA this season, gives the Reds a dependable option every fifth day, or, if needed, in long relief.
General Manager Nick Krall called Littell “a consistent strike thrower” who “keeps you in games.” The move also allows Nick Martinez to shift to the bullpen, where he’ll serve as a versatile multi-inning reliever. Martinez’s willingness to embrace the change, and his reputation as a trusted clubhouse leader, gives the Reds an unexpected bullpen boost at a time when the price for relievers is soaring.
The trade cost was modest: Cincinnati sent High-A prospect Adam Serwinowski and Triple-A journeyman Brian Van Belle to Tampa Bay. While Littell leads the majors in home runs allowed, his durability and versatility are what the Reds need most right now.
Recent years have seen the Reds patch together rotations with overmatched arms like Riley O’Brien, Randy Wynne, and Chasen Shreve. In 2024, the season effectively ended when Greene, Lodolo, and Abbott were all lost at once. This year, the Reds are determined not to repeat history.
Littell mirrors Martinez in flexibility — a pitcher who can start or relieve — which is vital as Cincinnati manages young arms like Burns and awaits the return of Greene. Littell’s presence raises the team’s floor, much like earlier acquisition Ke’Bryan Hayes, who solidifies the infield defense.
The core rotation now includes Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer, and Littell, with Burns still in the mix for now. Once Greene returns, likely in early August, the Reds may again reshuffle, sending another arm to the bullpen.
While not a headline-grabber, Littell’s arrival could prove pivotal. He may be the very type of pitcher the Reds needed in seasons past to avoid collapse — and now, with September looming, he’s here to help them stay in the race.
