Tampa Bay Rays trade pitcher Austin Pruitt to Houston Astros

ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays traded right-handed pitcher Austin Pruitt to the Astros late Thursday for Class A outfielder Cal Stevenson and rookie-league pitcher Peyton Battenfield.

Pruitt, 30, has been a swing man for the Rays the past three seasons, mostly in long relief but also starting 10 games. He went 12-8 with a 4.87 ERA in Tampa Bay.

Stevenson was a 10th-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2018 and made the Florida State League All-Star team for Class A Dunedin before being traded to the Astros in July. Battenfield, a ninth-round pick last summer, had a 1.60 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 39 innings in the short season New York-Penn League.