Reds move on from Gavin Lux in a three-team trade that pays off immediately

The Cincinnati Reds finagled a three-team trade involving the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels that helped them shed some salary and also bolster their bullpen. The Reds acquired left-handed reliever Brock Burke from the Angels and shipped infielder Gavin Lux to the Rays.

Many Reds fans assumed that Lux would be on his way out of Cincinnati at some point this offseason. Though his salary was certainly manageable — for a small-market club on a shoestring budget — $5.525 million was more than the Reds cared to pay for a utility player.

In return, the Reds landed another southpaw for their bullpen. Burke, who'd previously played for the Texas Rangers, spent last season with the Angels and owned a 3.36 ERA and 4.16 FIP in 61 relief appearances. He'll now join fellow left-handers Caleb Ferguson and Sam Moll in the Reds bullpen.

Reds trade Gavin Lux as part of three-team deal with Angels and Rays

As part of the trade, the Angels acquired outfielder Josh Lowe from the Rays, and Tampa Bay also landed right-handed pitching Chris Clarke from Los Angeles. In total, the swap involved three teams and five players.

Burke, 29, is owed $2.33 million in 2026, meaning Cincinnati will save a little over $3 million in salary. Whether they reinvest the savings into the lineup or just pocket the savings is anyone's guess. The left-hander will be a free agent after the upcoming season.

This move brings a great deal of clarity to the Reds roster heading into spring training. While some more peripheral moves could still be made, one can assume that Cincinnati is likely done addressing their bullpen concerns this offseason.

As for the lineup, the Reds now have a clear path for Sal Stewart to occupy the DH role in 2026 while also sharing reps with Spencer Steer at first base. Losing Lux takes away some depth from the infield, but Cincinnati has Edwin Arroyo and Leo Balcazar in the minor leagues, and Tyler Callihan should be full-go once spring camp begins.

Reds fans undoubtedly hope that the cost savings from trading Lux will help the team acquire one more bat before heading out to Goodyear next month. But at the very least, Cincinnati addressed a need and eliminated their infield logjam at second base.