Reds make multiple transactions ahead of trade deadline
Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall announced multiple transactions Tuesday, July 30, prior to the 6 p.m. trade deadline.
Krall announced the acquisition of RHP Jakob Junis (JOO-nis), OF Joey Wiemer (WEE-mer), and cash considerations from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for RHP Frankie Montas.
Junis, 31, is in his eighth Major League season, having appeared in 178 games (111 starts) with the Royals, Giants, and Brewers. This year for Milwaukee, he missed 69 games while recovering from a right shoulder impingement. He worked multiple innings in each of his nine relief appearances since being reinstated from the 60-day injured list on June 21, pitching to a 2.45 ERA with 15 strikeouts and just four walks over 22 innings.
Wiemer, 25, played collegiately at the University of Cincinnati before he was selected by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2020 first-year player draft. He belted 13 homers in 132 games in 2023 for Milwaukee, his first Major League season. This year, he appeared in 19 games for the Brewers and 53 games for AAA-Nashville. Wiemer is expected to report to AAA-Louisville.
Montas, 31, went 4-8 with a 5.01 ERA in 19 starts this season. On Jan. 2, he signed a one-year contract with the Reds through the 2024 season with a mutual option for 2025. Montas made his Reds debut as Cincinnati's Opening Day starter on March 28 vs Washington.
Additionally, the Reds designated for assignment INF Livan Soto.
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Krall announced the acquisition of RHP Ovis Portes from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for RHP Lucas Sims.
Portes, 19, has appeared in 11 games (5 starts) split between the Rookie FCL Red Sox and A-Salem this season, going 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA (34ip, 11r/8er) and 41 strikeouts. He pitched 13.0 scoreless innings (5h, 16k) spanning four games with the FCL Red Sox before being promoted to Salem on June 4. Portes made his professional debut in 2023 with the Rookie DSL Red Sox Red, posting a 12.46 ERA (4.1ip, 6r/6er) and nine strikeouts over four starts.
Sims, 30, has pitched in 43 games for Cincinnati this season, going 1-4 with a 3.57 ERA (35.1ip, 14r/14er) and 40 strikeouts. Originally acquired from the Braves on July 31, 2018, Sims was the longest-tenured Red, having made his team debut on Sept. 2, 2018 at St. Louis. Over 210 games with Cincinnati, he went 19-11 with a 3.94 ERA (224ip, 106r/98er) and 290 strikeouts.
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The Reds Tuesday night acquired from the Rangers and optioned to AAA-Louisville INF Davis Wendzel (wend-ZELL) in exchange for cash considerations.
Additionally Tuesday night, the Reds traded OF Austin Slater, INF Livan Soto and cash considerations to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations; INF Ty France reported to the 26-player roster.
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