Former Red Sox Pitcher And Trade Target Traded To Reds

Another starting pitcher is off the market. Late on Wednesday night, the Tampa Bay Rays traded Zack Littell to the Cincinnati Reds, according to Jeff Passan.

Littell’s time with the Boston Red Sox was very brief. He pitched three innings for the team in 2023 before being designated for assignment and claimed by the Rays.

In 371 2/3 innings with the Rays, Littell posted a 3.73 ERA. He worked out of both the pen and the rotation in 2023, but moved to the rotation full-time in 2024.

This season, Littell has made 21 starts and registered a 3.72 ERA. He doesn’t have strikeout stuff and instead relies on command to get by. He’s only struck out 16.3% of hitters this season, but walked just 3.3%.

With the Red Sox looking for starting pitching, Littell might have been a potential fit. He’s not one to lead a rotation, but he posts regularly and works deep into games consistently.

The righty has a home run problem, which raises questions of how he would have performed in Fenway. He’s allowed 26 home runs this season, three more than the next most in baseball. Cincinnati is also an offense-friendly ballpark, which could be an issue for Littell.

It remains unclear what the Rays received in return for the pitcher. Tampa Bay has only used six different starting pitchers this year and recently optioned Taj Bradley to Triple-A. They’re candidates to add a pitcher; likely one who has future control.

The Red Sox have less than 24 hours to make a move. They’ve been linked to several pitchers who are still on the board. While nothing has been executed yet, expect at least one trade before Thursday’s deadline.