Reds trade Lucas Sims to Red Sox for teenage pitching prospect

After trading Frankie Montas to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night, the Cincinnati Reds doubled down on their efforts to move players with expiring deals before Tuesday's deadline. Before the Reds game against the Chicago Cubs, reliever Lucas Sims was reportedly traded to the Boston Red Sox.

Sims, who was making $2.8 million this season, will now join a Red Sox team that's seeking to sneak into the American League playoff picture. Sims will bring a high-leverage arm to the backend of Boston's bullpen that ranks 19th in ERA this season.

The 30-year-old was set to become free agent after the 2024 season, and it was highly unlikely that the Reds were going to re-sign the right-hander this winter. Sims, who originally came to Cincinnati as part of trade in 2018, had his ups and downs this season with a 3.57 ERA in 43 appearances.

Reds trade RHP Lucas Sims to Red Sox

Trading Sims is hardly surprising, and is a move that the Reds were probably pondering for a few weeks. Cincinnati was rumored earlier this month to have a two-pronged approach at this year's trade deadline. The Reds were looking to offload players like Sims, Montas, and others who'd be free agents during the offseason, while also trying to remain competitive during the remainder of the 2024 campaign.

In exchange for Sims, the Red Sox are sending 19-year-old pitching prospect Ovis Portes to the Reds. The young right-hander has been in Boston's minor league system for the past couple of seasons. Portes is 5-1 in his professional career with a 2.52 ERA and 78 strikeouts in less than 70 innings of work.

There's still more time before the 6 p.m. ET trade deadline expires, and the Reds could still be very active in trade talks before the buzzer sounds later this evening. Players like Nick Martinez, Tony Santillan, and Justin Wilson could be moved as well.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors