In 2023, the Cincinnati Reds were riding a wave of momentum. Their young core made an immediate impact, and it appeared their competitive window had opened earlier than expected. Leading the way was closer, the team’s lone All-Star that season.
In just his second year in the majors, Díaz delivered a strong performance with a 3.07 ERA and 86 strikeouts over 67.1 innings. However, his time with the Reds has now come to an end, as he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for minor league pitcher Mike Villani.
WIth @JonHeyman hear the Dodgers are close to acquiring Alexis Diaz from the Reds.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) May 29, 2025
Díaz had shown signs of decline since his standout 2023 campaign. Though he was serviceable in 2024, he wasn’t as dominant—his strikeout numbers dipped, and he began to allow more traffic on the bases.
Unfortunately, this season unraveled completely for him. After starting the year on the injured list due to a hamstring strain, he struggled with control upon his return. Over 8 innings, he gave up 8 runs on 8 hits, issued 5 walks, and struck out just 3. A demotion to Louisville earlier this month didn’t bring much improvement.
In exchange, the Reds receive right-hander Mike Villani from the Dodgers. Drafted in the 13th round in 2024 out of Long Beach State, Villani posted a 3.24 ERA over 25 relief innings in college. So far this season, he’s pitched two scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts.
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