Former St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees outfielder Harrison Bader has a new home. Bader, who had a falling out of sorts with the Yankees when they placed him on waivers (by surprise, seemingly), will now re-enter the NL Central playoff race, but with an unfamiliar team.
The Cincinnati Reds, rivals of Bader's former team in the St. Louis Cardinals, have claimed Bader off waivers. While Bader has struggled with the bat at times this season -- failing to get on base at much of a consistent clip -- he's still a Gold Glove caliber outfielder who can serve as a defensive replacement during any postseason run.
MLB Rumors: Cincinnati Reds claim for Cardinals, Yankees outfielder Harrison Bader
Bader was a childhood Yankees fan and got the opportunity to play for his favorite team. That's not something every big leaguer can say. Now, he moves on to a new team with a chance to make the playoffs, something New York could not offer him. Adam Weinrib of Yanks Go Yard detailed why Bader had to leave the Bronx:
"Placing Bader on waivers wasn't just a cost-cutting measure this season. It facilitated the promotion of Jasson Dominguez, and will allow him to get regular playing time down the stretch. It also seems like a pretty strong signal that the Yankees will not be pursuing Bader on a multi-year deal after the season ends, and wanted to do him a favor/give him a chance to play meaningful baseball down the stretch. They wrapped their bitter pill in a silver lining."
Bader will become a free agent after this season, as he's in his final arbitration year. Cincinnati merely has to pay the remainder of his contract, which isn't all that much to begin with. For the Reds, Bader serves as a rental outfielder who can play a demanding center field position with the best of them defensively.
Should his bat improve, Bader could be one of the better late-season pickups in recent memory.
