A former Cincinnati Reds player joined the Washington Nationals.
The Cincinnati Reds will be moving forward without a key pitching depth piece after right‑hander Zack Littell agreed to a deal elsewhere in free agency.
Littell, who spent the latter portion of the 2025 season in Cincinnati, has reportedly reached an agreement with the Washington Nationals as he looks to continue building on a productive year. The veteran pitcher proved capable of handling starting responsibilities during his time with the Reds.
His departure removes a reliable arm from Cincinnati’s pitching plans heading into the upcoming season, especially after the team relied on him for meaningful innings following a midseason trade acquisition.
The news of Littell’s contract was first reported by Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.
“RHP Zack Littell and the Washington Nationals are in agreement on a contract, sources tell me and @JeffPassan. Littell threw 186.2 innings last season with a 3.81 ERA for the Rays and Reds,” McDaniel wrote on X.
Littell originally joined Cincinnati during the 2025 season when the Reds acquired him from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 30. The move was part of Cincinnati’s push to strengthen its pitching staff as the club attempted to remain competitive in the playoff race.
In exchange for Littell, the Rays received minor‑league pitchers Adam Serwinowski and Brian Van Belle. Tampa Bay has built a reputation for acquiring young pitching talent, while the Reds prioritized adding an experienced arm capable of providing stability.
While Littell’s numbers were slightly less impressive in Cincinnati compared to his time with the Rays, he still proved to be a dependable option. Over 10 appearances with the Reds, he posted a 4.39 ERA across 53 1/3 innings while recording 41 strikeouts.
Even with the slight dip in performance, Littell’s ability to eat innings made him valuable to a Reds pitching staff that relied on multiple young arms throughout the season.
Now, with Littell heading to Washington, Cincinnati will place more trust in its developing pitchers to handle larger roles in the rotation and bullpen. Several young arms are expected to take steps forward as the organization continues building around its emerging core.
Pitchers like Chase Burns and Brady Singer could become especially important pieces toward the back end of the pitching staff. Their development will likely determine how effectively the Reds replace the stability Littell provided.
Although losing Littell removes an experienced option from the roster, the Reds appear ready to rely on their younger pitchers as they look to build a more sustainable pitching staff for the future.