The winter three‑team transaction shipped outfielder Josh Lowe to Los Angeles and infielder Gavin Lux to Tampa Bay, reshaping each roster in subtle ways. The Angels also filled the void left by Taylor Ward, who headed to Baltimore, while the Rays secured a replacement for Brandon Lowe after dealing the second baseman to Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati cleared the $5.525 million arbitration bill on Lux and added reliever Brock Burke from the Angels. It looked like modest business, yet the Reds ended up with a decisive advantage, a fact that still resonates today.
Burke logged a respectable stint with Texas after moving to the bullpen in 2022, but faltered in 2024 and was DFA‑ed mid‑season. Los Angeles grabbed him for the final six weeks, and he rebounded in 2025 with a 3.36 ERA across 69 games, still under team control when the Reds acquired him.
At 30, Burke exploded for the Reds, posting a 2.30 ERA over 74 1/3 innings. His 77 appearances topped the National League, and with left‑handed option Caleb Ferguson on the IL, manager Terry Francona leaned heavily on him early and often.
In my view, Burke’s breakout season boosts his free‑agency value more than it lifts the Reds.
Evaluating the other two clubs is tricky. The Angels received more raw quantity, but quality tells a different story. Lowe batted .209 with a dozen homers, 10 steals, and a career‑low 76 wRC+, then slid to a .546 OPS and a brief demotion before rebounding in late June. He remains under team control for two seasons.
Los Angeles took a low‑risk gamble, swapping a pending free‑agent reliever for a former 20‑HR, 30‑SB outfielder. Lowe delivered power and speed but struggled elsewhere, his strikeout rate spiking above 30% after a brief dip to 25.1% in 2025. He also hit just .176 with 20 K’s in 51 at‑bats versus lefties and posted negative Defensive Runs Saved for a third straight year.
The Rays got essentially zero MLB output from their side. Lux suffered a spring shoulder injury, endured multiple setbacks, and never appeared in a major‑league game. He now heads to free agency without ever wearing a Rays uniform.
Tampa Bay thrived without Lux, cruising to the AL East crown. They cobbled together second base through a Richie Palacios‑Ben Williamson platoon, ranking 24th in OPS at the position. Their main value came on defense, combining for five DRS at the hot corner.
The trade also delivered right‑hander Chris Clark to Tampa Bay. Drafted by Los Angeles in the fifth round of 2023, Clark posted a 4.35 ERA in Double‑A over 27 outings, then struggled with a 6.46 ERA in 15 1/3 innings at Triple‑A. He struck out 30% in six games with Durham and is likely to return to the Bulls’ bullpen next year.
Photos courtesy of Frank Bowen IV of The Enquirer and Charles LeClaire, via Imagn Images. Will the Rays’ depth at second base keep them competitive next year?