Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations Dick Williams today announced the acquisition of RHP Tanner Roark (RO-arc) from the Washington Nationals in exchange for RHP Tanner Rainey.
Roark, 32, has spent his entire Major League career with the Nationals, compiling a 64-54 record and 3.59 ERA over 6 seasons, 141 starts and 41 relief appearances. In 2018, he went 9-15 with a 4.34 ERA in 30 starts and 1 relief appearance and ranked 12th in the National League with 17 quality starts. He also ranked T5th in the NL with 18 GIDP induced and seventh with 11 starts of at least 7.0 innings.
Over the past 3 seasons, Roark is 1 of only 12 Major League pitchers with at least 93 starts and 1 of only 6 pitchers with at least 571.2 innings pitched. In each of the 2016-2018 seasons he made at least 30 starts while throwing at least 180.1 innings.
Originally drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 25th round of the June 2008 first-year player draft, Roark was acquired by the Nationals at the July 2010 trade deadline. He finished 10th in the 2016 National League Cy Young Award voting after finishing 16-10 with a 2.83 ERA in 210.0 innings over 33 starts and 1 relief appearance and pitched for Team USA during its championship run to the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Rainey, 25, spent most of last season at Class AAA Louisville but made his Major League debut with 8 relief appearances during 4 stints with the Reds.