This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/reds as Zack Littell Could Open Up an Opportunity for the Cincinnati Reds and Chase Burns. The Cincinnati Reds added to their pitching depth on Wednesday night with a savvy trade for a starting pitcher. There is an intriguing possibility this could open up with Chase Burns.

As it turns out, that was his final start as a member of the Rays. Ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, the Cincinnati Reds sent minor league pitchers Adam Serwinowski and Brian Van Belle to Tampa to acquire Littel, who’ll reach free agency at season’s end.

The Cincinnati Reds failed to add a needed starter at the '23 deadline and missed the playoffs by 2 games. Why they doubled down on that strength now.

What was more important, however, was that they didn’t lose their two-way star. In the Dodgers’ 5-2 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park, Shohei Ohtani left the mound alongside a trainer in the fourth inning with what the team later said was only cramping — a worrying scene in the moment,