Rays trade for left-hander Reed from Reds

August 29th, 2020

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired left-handed pitcher Cody Reed from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for right-handed pitcher Riley O’Brien. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays placed outfielder Brett Phillips on the COVID-19 Related Injured List while he completes intake protocols.

Reed, 27, was designated for assignment by the Reds on August 24. He spent parts of five seasons with the Reds, going 2-12 with a 5.44 ERA (124-IP, 75-ER) in 51 appearances (18 starts). In his career, he is 1-2 with a 2.72 ERA (43-IP, 13-ER) in 33 appearances out of the bullpen and 1-10 with a 6.89 ERA (81-IP, 62-ER) in 18 starts.

Over the last three seasons (2018-20), Reed went 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA (58.2-IP, 26-ER) in 29 appearances (seven starts), including a 3.29 ERA (27.1-IP, 10-ER) in 22 relief appearances. During that stretch, he recorded a 9.05 SO/9 IP ratio and a ground-ball rate of 58.5 pct, according to Stats LLC, 10th-highest among NL pitchers with at least 50 innings from 2018-20.

Reed went 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA (9.1-IP, 6-ER), 1.93 WHIP (10-H, 8-BB) and 10 strikeouts in nine appearances this season.

Reed was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of the 2013 June Draft out of Northwest Mississippi Community College. He was traded to the Reds on July 26, 2015, as part of the package for right-hander Johnny Cueto.

O’Brien, 25, was added by the Rays to their 60-man player pool and subsequently sent to the Reds. Last season, he went 7-6 with a 3.16 ERA (102.2-IP, 36-ER) in 20 appearances (17 starts) between Class A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery, earning a May 7 promotion. He entered this season ranked by Baseball America as the No. 20 prospect in the Rays' system. He is 16-10 with a 2.83 ERA (232-IP, 73-ER) in 56 appearances (40 starts) over three Minor League seasons after being selected by the Rays in the eighth round of the 2017 June Draft out of the College of Idaho.