6-Man Deal Gives Reds Gullickson

The Cincinnati Reds, striving to strengthen their 1986 starting rotation, acquired pitcher Bill Gullickson Thursday in a six-player trade with the Montreal Expos.

Cincinnati gave up pitchers Jay Tibbs, John Stuper and Andy McGaffigan and reserve catcher Dann Bilardello to get Gullickson and reserve catcher Sal Butera.

Gullickson, 26, had a 14-12 record and a 3.52 earned-run average for the Expos in 1985. He has averaged 14 wins a season the last four years. Butera, 33, hit .200 in 67 games for Montreal.

Tibbs, 23, was 10-16 with Cincinnati last season. Stuper, 28, was 8-5 at Cincinnati. McGaffigan, 29, was 3-3 at Cincinnati. Bilardello, 26, started for Cincinnati in parts of the 1983 and ’84 seasons but was demoted to the club’s minor league system in 1985.