A season-end review by MLB Trade Rumors looks back at a three-team trade among the Tampa Bay Rays, the Los Angeles Angels and the Cincinnati Reds that was made over the winter. In its look back, the outlet says the deal turned out to be a clear win for Cincinnati.
According to the review, the Los Angeles Angels came away with an everyday outfielder. Cincinnati shed the $5.525 million owed to Lux in his final year of arbitration and also got a reliever from the Angels. The publisher says the deal looked like solid business at the time, but not something likely to change the season.
That reliever was Burke. The review says he had a decent run in the Texas Rangers bullpen after moving there in 2022, then struggled in 2024 and was designated for assignment midway through that year. The Angels claimed him for the final six weeks of the 2024 season.
Burke made the Angels roster in 2025 and posted a 3.36 ERA over 69 games. He had one year of team control left when he was sent to Cincinnati.
With the Reds, the 30-year-old had a 2.30 ERA across 74 1/3 innings, and his 77 appearances led the National League. MLB Trade Rumors says he was the club's top left-handed option early in the year and that manager Terry Francona relied on him heavily.
Burke is now headed to free agency. The outlet says he has a solid chance to land another big-league deal, which was not a sure thing going into the season.