CINCINNATI (AP) — Tanner Roark was on the road headed to Atlanta for the Cincinnati Reds’ next series when he stopped to get something to eat and learned that he’d be going in a much different direction.
The playoff-contending Oakland Athletics acquired Roark on Wednesday, filling out a rotation that also could have left-hander Sean Manaea back soon.
Oakland sent outfield prospect Jameson Hannah to Cincinnati. The Reds are sending Oakland $2.1 million to offset much of the $3,225,806 remaining in Roark’s $10 million salary.
The trade was announced about an hour before the deadline for making deals. The A’s began the day a half-game out of the second AL wild-card spot.
The Reds also dealt second baseman Scooter Gennett to the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named and cash considerations.
Gennett was an All-Star last season and second in the batting race. But he missed nearly three months of the second due to a groin injury in spring training.
A free agent after this season, Gennett was only hitting .217 with three doubles, no home runs and five RBI in 69 at-bats this season.
Roark lasted a season-low 3 1/3 innings during Cincinnati’s 11-4 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday. He is 6-7 in 21 starts with a 4.24 ERA and can become a free agent after the season, which left him a candidate for a midseason trade.
“I knew coming into the season that this was a possibility,” Roark said.
“That’s how the game is. I’m excited about it. They’re playing good baseball. They’re in the wild-card hunt.”
With the Reds headed to Atlanta for their next series, Roark decided to drive on his own. He was about 20 minutes outside Cincinnati on Wednesday when he stopped to eat and saw reports that he was being traded.
“I realized I’d better turn around and come back,” he said, following the Reds’ 4-1 win on Wednesday.
The Reds traded Roark a few hours after getting Trevor Bauer from the Indians for right fielder Yaisel Puig in a three-team swap that included San Diego. Roark figured he was likely going to be dealt to open a spot in the rotation for Bauer.
“We had seven starters,” he said. “That’s two odd men out. It was in my head.”
Gennett did not appear upset at being traded. When asked if the trade was emotional, he only joked, “Am I crying?”
The Reds claimed Gennett off waivers prior to the 2017 season and the Cincinnati native became a fan favrorite as he put together two outstanding seasons.
He had a record-setting performance in 2017 with four home runs, 10 RBI and 17 total bases in a game against St. Louis.
Gennett’s departure opens up more playing time for Jose Peraza, Josh VanMeter and Derek Dietrich.
“Scooter, obviously, was one of our great success stories in terms of a low-cost acquisition and how he played and how he integrated himself to the community here going all the way to an All-Star Game,” said Reds’ president of baseball operations.
“It was a really crowded position and Scooter didn’t have as much positional flexibility as the other guys. This gives him the opportunity to go somewhere and see if he can get a little more playing time down the stretch and get us focused on developing those guys.”