TRADE: Pitcher Forces Tampa Bay Rays Trade With Brewers

Right-hander Jake Woodford was in camp with the Tampa Bay Rays on a minor league contract as a non-roster invitee. But his deal had a clause that allowed him to refuse a minor league assignment, thereby forcing the Rays to trade him in order to get something back in return.

We've made the following trade with the Tampa Bay Rays pic.twitter.com/4xmPPKM6MD
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 24, 2026

25-year-old right-hander K.C. Hunt goes to Tampa Bay in exchange.

Woodford, 29, had a successful spring with the Rays, allowing just one run on four hits over 7 1/3 innings along with five strikeouts against just two walks. He had a 1.23 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. He'll start the season in the majors with the Brewers to boost their bullpen depth.

He has pitched in parts of six seasons in the major leagues and holds a 5.10 ERA, with only a 2:1 strikeout to walk ratio. He pitched for the Diamondbacks in 2025, posting an even uglier 6.44 ERA. He's back in the NL Central, after having spent the first four seasons of his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, having much more success with a 4.29 ERA over 80 appearances. He also spent part of '24 in the Pirates organization.

Hunt, a 6-foot-3 RHP, has a 3.36 ERA across three minor league seasons, with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings, and a 1.12 WHIP. He was named the Brewers Co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2024 after sporting a 2.03 ERA with a 139:25 strikeout to walk ratio in 102 innings across three levels.