CINCINNATI — In a late-night move on Wednesday, the Cincinnati Reds made a significant addition to their starting rotation, while also unlocking greater flexibility for their bullpen.
The Reds acquired right-handed starter Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for top left-handed pitching prospect Adam Serwinowski (ranked No. 10 in the organization) and 28-year-old right-hander Brian Van Belle. The deal comes just hours after Cincinnati landed third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates in another notable trade that sent reliever Taylor Rogers and infield prospect Sammy Stafura to Pittsburgh.
Trade Breakdown:
Reds receive: RHP Zack Littell
Rays receive: LHP Adam Serwinowski, RHP Brian Van Belle
Sitting at 57–52 after a 5–2 win over the Dodgers, the Reds remain firmly in the postseason hunt—just three games behind San Diego for the final National League Wild Card spot. These trades reflect the front office’s commitment to pushing for October baseball.
With Littell stepping into the rotation, right-hander Nick Martinez will shift to the bullpen, filling a swingman role similar to the one he held in 2024. Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall described Martinez as a “Swiss Army knife” who can adapt to multiple roles as needed.
Littell, 29, brings with him a steady presence, posting an 8–8 record with a 3.58 ERA across 22 starts (133 1/3 innings) this season. Though he leads the majors in home runs allowed (26), he offsets that with one of the lowest walk rates in baseball at just 1.42 walks per nine innings. In his career, Littell has a 3.83 ERA over 224 MLB appearances, 69 of which were starts.
Ironically, one of his last starts for the Rays came against Cincinnati last week, when he gave up five earned runs over 10 hits in a 7–2 loss. However, he rebounded strongly in his final start for Tampa Bay, throwing five shutout innings against the Yankees on Wednesday.
A pending free agent making $5.72 million this season, Littell represents a rental for the Reds, but one with immediate value. “He’s consistent, a strike-thrower, and keeps you in the game,” Krall said. “We saw a path to both improve the rotation and strengthen the bullpen by moving Martinez.”
Martinez was informed of the team’s plans shortly after his strong outing against the Dodgers, where he pitched six innings and struck out seven while allowing two runs. According to Krall, the veteran was fully on board. “He’s one of the best teammates you could ever be around. He told us, ‘Whatever’s best for the team, I’ll do it.’”
The move not only addresses the Reds’ current needs but also enhances their roster flexibility heading into the crucial final stretch of the season.
