St. Petersburg, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - The Tampa Bay Rays acquired catcher Ryan Hanigan from the Cincinnati Reds and relief pitcher Heath Bell from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-team trade on Tuesday.
Tampa Bay sent minor league pitcher Justin Choate along with a player to be named later to Arizona in exchange for Bell and cash considerations, while the Diamondbacks traded pitcher David Holmberg to the Reds, who sent Hanigan to the Rays.
The Rays and Hanigan agreed to a three-year contract extension worth a guaranteed $10.75 million, with a club option for the 2017 season.
Hanigan had spent the duration of his seven-year career in Cincinnati, compiling a .262 average with 20 home runs and 138 RBI in 474 games. A pair of stints on the disabled list hampered Hanigan in 2013 and he batted a career- low .198 with two homers and 21 RBI in 75 games.
Bell, 36, has recorded 168 career saves over 10 major league seasons with the New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins and Diamondbacks. The hard- throwing right-hander went 5-2 with a 4.11 earned run average and 15 saves in 69 appearances last season.
Choate, a 22-year-old right-hander, went 1-3 with six saves and a 2.88 ERA in 16 relief appearances with Class-A Hudson Valley in 2013.
Holmberg spent the majority of 2013 with Double-A Mobile, going 5-8 with a 2.75 ERA in 26 starts. The 22-year-old southpaw made his major debut on Aug. 27 in a start against San Diego, but did not factor in the decision.
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