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On Wednesday afternoon, news broke that the Cincinnati Reds were reportedly sending John Lamb to the Tampa Bay Rays. Zach Links of MLB Trade Rumors broke the story. Later, John Heyman reported further details of the transaction.
I'm told John Lamb has been traded from #Reds to #Rays @mlbtraderumors
— Zach Links (@ZachLinks) November 2, 2016
lhp john lamb was traded from reds to rays for $ @ZachLinks on it.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 2, 2016
Lamb joined the Reds, along with Brandon Finnegan and Cody Reed, as a part of the Johnny Cueto trade. Over the past two seasons Lamb made 24 starts for Cincinnati. In 2016, he was 1-7 with a 6.43 ERA (14 starts).
Injuries have plagued the left-hander throughout his career. In 2011, as a minor league prospect, he needed Tommy John surgery. Each of the past two off-seasons Lamb has required back surgery. His start to the 2016 season was delayed while he recovered from the first procedure. Following this past season (late October) Lamb underwent a second back surgery to repair a herniated disk. It was unlikely that Lamb would have been ready for the start of the 2017 season.
Fans might question this move given the fact that Cincinnati isn't receiving a player in return. However, the Reds were going to have to move some starting pitchers around in the near future. The combination of established starters and prospects has led to a potentially crowded field vying for spots in the rotation soon.
Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors notes that Lamb is out of minor league options.