CINCINNATI (AP) — Outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Harrison Bader were claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in an effort to boosts their playoff push.
Renfroe was claimed from the Los Angeles Angels and Bader from the New York Yankees.
The 31-year-old Renfroe hit .242 with 19 homers and 56 RBIs in his first season with the Angels, who acquired him from Milwaukee last November for three young pitchers: right-handers Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero, and minor league lefty Adam Seminaris. Renfroe has 176 homers in eight major league seasons, hitting .240 with 450 RBIs.
A Gold Glove winner with St. Louis in 2021, Bader hit .240 with seven homers, 37 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 18 attempts over 84 games with New York this year. Bader strained his left oblique in spring training and didn’t make his season debut until May 2. He was sidelined between May 29 and June 20 with a strained right hamstring.
Cincinnati added $2,058,333 in payroll with the two moves. Renfroe is owed $1,275,000 of his $7.65 million salary and Bader $783,333 of his $4.7 million salary. Both are eligible for free agency following the World Series.
Infielder-outfielder Alejo López and outfielder Michael Siani were designated for assignment.
Bader was acquired by the Yankees from St. Louis on Aug. 2 last year for left-hander Jordan Montgomery and hit five homers in nine postseason games for the Yankees.
“It just means so much to me to be a New York City kid playing in the Bronx for the Yankees and, yeah, it’s just really special for a lot of reasons,” Bader said in Detroit. “So, there’s just a lot of good moments and I’m just really excited because regardless of the situation, no one can ever take the fact that I put that uniform on, growing up in that city, which means a lot to me. ... I’m just very very excited and thankful for the opportunity and, man, that was special.”
His departure clears the way for 20-year-old prospect Jasson Domínguez to be promoted to the Yankees and play center field.
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