More depth for the rotation, more flexibility for the entire staff.
Righty Zack Littel took the mound in Yankee Stadium earlier on Wednesday and pitched a gem for the Tampa Bay Rays. Across 5.0 IP, he allowed just a pair of hits and nary a run, the four walks he issued the lone real blemish on his scorecard.
As it turns out, that was his highest mark in the walks column all season, as he entered play that day leading all of Major League Baseball’s qualified starters in BB/9 (1.2).
As it turns out, that was his final start as a member of the Rays. Ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, the Cincinnati Reds sent minor league pitchers Adam Serwinowski and Brian Van Belle to Tampa to acquire Littel, who’ll reach free agency at season’s end.
The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer had the news.
Full player exchange in 2-for-1 trade: Reds Triple-A right-hander Brian Van Belle (on Reds’ 40-man roster) and Class A left-hander Adam Serwinowski to Rays for Zack Littell. https://t.co/6KAYk8aJrG
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) July 31, 2025
Littel’s acquisition comes with little money outlayed – the Reds are only on the hook for the remainder of his $5.72 million salary for this season. What his acquisition does do, however, is allow the Reds to bolster their rotation while Hunter Greene heals, Chase Burns inches closer to his innings cap, and Nick Martinez slides back into his rover role where he’s available anywhere, anytime.
Littel is a former 11th round draft pick out of Eastern Alamance HS (North Carolina), thoguh that was by the Seattle Mariners back in 2013. He’s spent time in each of the Mariners, Yankees, Twins, Giants, Rangers, and Red Sox organizations before the Rays finally figured out how to help him unlock his ability. Since the start of the 2024 season, he’d throw 284.2 IP across 50 starts, and done so with a tidy 3.67 ERA and aforementioned lack of walks.
He’s not a fireballer. His average fastball velocity of 92.3 mph since the start of the 2024 season sits right around Martinez (92.7) and Brady Singer (91.7) at the bottom end of the qualified starters in that span. Still, there’s a reason why both Martinez and Singer have been effective with the Reds, and there might be something to that kind of slow-heater pitcher that the Reds are leaning into.
Wecome to the Reds, Zack!