The Cincinnati Reds continue to add before the MLB trade deadline. After nabbing Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates, they’ve made an upgrade to their rotation by adding Zack Littell from the Tampa Bay Rays.
Littell, 29, has been another Rays pitching success story. Bouncing around between the Twins, Giants, and Red Sox early in his career, he struggled to get playing time. Since arriving in Tampa, Littell has started 65 games as a full-time starter over the past three seasons. He’s pitched to a 3.77 ERA over the past three seasons, proving himself as a rotation arm.
Now he arrives in Cincinnati, poised to hit free agency for the first time in the offseason. A great stretch run will get him paid if he keeps this up. Littell just needs to watch for the long ball; his 26 homers surrendered this season are the highest mark in the MLB. The Reds have immediate holes in their rotation: Hunter Greene is on the injured list, and they’ve been searching for answers.
Once he returns in August, it’s unclear who gets booted from the rotation. Nick Martinez is the obvious candidate, as someone with reliever experience and a 4.69 ERA as a starter. But they’ll add the arms now and figure out the rest later. Getting Zack Littell in the mix is a solid boost to their playoff chances.
It’s an interesting return for the Rays. 28-year-old reliever Brian Van Belle is going to Tampa. After spending more than four years in Boston’s system, Cincinnati acquired Van Belle for cash considerations earlier this year. He’s yet to make his major league debut and holds a 4.51 ERA in 235.1 innings in Triple-A ball. Perhaps they can try to work some Rays devil magic on his arm.
What fascinates me about this deal is the Dodgers getting in the mix as a third team. They get the 10th best prospect in Cincinnati’s system, Serwinowski is a 6’5″ left-handed pitcher with a strong fastball and a breaking ball that ranges from curveball to slider, depending on how he wants to throw it. The 21-year-old is pitching at High-A ball, and while he may end up in the bullpen, he’s an intriguing arm. Good bit of business for the Dodgers to get him in an already loaded farm system.
Right-handed reliever Paul Gervase and catcher Ben Rortvedt are also going to LA. The 6’10” Gervase broke into the majors this season, and had a 3.12 ERA at Triple-A this season. Rortvedt, 27, has had stints with Minnesota, New York, and Tampa Bay across four major league seasons.
Hunter Feduccia goes from Los Angeles to Cincinnati to round out the deal. The 28-year-old catcher and first baseman has had a cup of coffee with the Dodgers across the last two years. With Gervase moving into a 40-man roster spot, Feduccia is sent out to clear that spot and give Cincinnati some extra catching depth.
