Cincinnati Reds Shake Up Trade Market with Zack Littell Acquisition
The Cincinnati Reds continue their aggressive strategy in the MLB trade market, securing right-handed pitcher Zack Littell in a move with the Tampa Bay Rays. The trade, which involved three teams, was confirmed by the Rays, who received in return two minor league pitchers from Cincinnati: right-hander Brian Van Belle and left-hander Adam Serwinowski. Tampa Bay subsequently sent Serwinowski, along with right-handed pitcher Paul Gervase and catcher Ben Rortvedt, to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the move, catcher Hunter Feduccia went from the Dodgers to the Rays. Littell, 29, has had a season with an 8-8 record and a 3.58 ERA in 22 starts with the Rays. His performance included five scoreless innings in a no-decision game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday. However, he leads the league with 26 home runs allowed.Littell has been a mainstay in the Rays’ rotation for the last two and a half seasons, after primarily serving from the bullpen for the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox between 2018 and 2023. Brian Van Belle, 28, has pitched for two Triple-A teams this season, with a combined record of 6-5 and an ERA of 3.40 in 19 games (15 as a starter). Adam Serwinowski, 21, is 1-7 with a 4.84 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) for High-A Dayton this season. Paul Gervase, 25, made his debut in the Major Leagues with Tampa Bay this year, recording no decisions and an ERA of 4.26 in five relief appearances. He was 2-3 with four saves and an ERA of 3.12 for Triple-A Durham. Rortvedt, 27, has experience in the Major Leagues with the Twins, the New York Yankees, and Tampa Bay. He had 6 hits in 63 at-bats (.095) with no home runs and six RBIs in 26 games for the Rays in 2025. This move comes after the Reds acquired third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pirates. The deadline for changes is Thursday at 6 p.m. ET.“It’s just part of the game,” Littell commented on the change after the match. He added: “I didn’t find out much earlier than the others… The opportunity I had here [with Tampa Bay] has changed and will continue to change my life, so I am extremely grateful”.
Zack Littell