ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays have announced a new trade, acquiring outfielder Richie Palacios from the St. Louis Cardinals in return for right-handed pitcher Andrew Kittredge.
Palacios, 26, joined the Cardinals midway through the last season and made an immediate impact. In 32 games, he hit .258 with a solid .516 slugging percentage, contributing six doubles and six home runs. He spent the earlier part of the season with Triple-A Memphis following a trade from Cleveland.
Since his selection by Cleveland in the 2018 draft, Palacios made his major league debut in 2022 and has demonstrated his batting capabilities across both major and minor league levels.
Andrew Kittredge, 33, has been a reliable arm for the Rays, posting a 3.09 ERA across 14 appearances in 2023. Since being acquired from Seattle in 2016, Kittredge has played a versatile role for Tampa Bay, recording 15 saves and a 3.65 ERA in his tenure with the team.
This trade reflects the Rays’ strategy to inject more power into their batting lineup with the addition of Palacios while the Cardinals bolster their bullpen with Kittredge’s experience and proven track record.
