SARASOTA, Fla. — Jeff Keppinger was packing his gear when he got a call saying manager Dusty Baker wanted to talk to him. The reserve shortstop thought he was about to be released.

Instead, the Reds traded him to the Houston Astros on Tuesday for a player to be named, giving him a chance to play for his fifth major league organization. He batted only .140 in 21 games this spring and knew it was likely that he wouldn't make the team.

"I'm just glad they didn't release me," Keppinger said. "I was going to ask if they were going to release me just because of my spring numbers."

Instead of being out of a job, he had some place to go.

"It's good," Keppinger said. "Maybe the opportunity's better for me over there. I might get a chance to play. Looking around here, it didn't look like I would play too much. That's kind of how my career has been. I always get roadblocked somewhere, and I go to a team that kind of needs something. Before you know it, they give me my shot to play."

Keppinger bailed the Reds out last season, when starting shortstop Alex Gonzalez was sidelined by a fractured knee. Keppinger started 101 games at shortstop, batting .266 with three homers and 43 RBIs.

Gonzalez is back from the injury this season, although a strained hamstring has held him back recently. He played in a minor league game for the second day in a row Tuesday and reported no problems.

The Reds also reassigned left-hander Pedro Viola to their minor league camp on Tuesday and optioned right-hander Josh Roenicke to Triple-A Louisville, leaving them with 30 players in camp.