Harrison Bader is reportedly on his way to Cincinnati.
According to multiple reports, Bader has been picked up off waivers after the Yankees placed the center fielder on waivers so he could be picked up and eligible for a postseason roster before the Sept. 1 deadline.
Bader, who had still been paying for the Yanks after being placed on waivers, was not in the lineup for Thursday’s series finale against the Tigers, making it likely that a team was going to pick him up. It turns out to be the Reds, a playoff-hopeful team in an NL Central division that Bader is familiar with thanks to his time with the Cardinals.
The Yanks acquired Bader from St. Louis for Jordan Mongtomery prior to last year’s deadline. Bader was on the IL with plantar fasciitis at the time of the trade, but was a major spark for the Yanks once activated, hitting four home runs in the 2022 postseason. This year, Bader has remained an elite defender in center field, but his offensive numbers slipped back below league average, where it was for most of his career, and has been one of the worst hitters in baseball over the past month.
Meanwhile, Montgomery has sparkled, pitching to a 3.19 ERA in 26 starts.
Bader spoke with reporters after the news broke, and was emotional reflecting on playing for his hometown team, even for just a year.
"It just means so much to me to be a New York City kid, playing in the Bronx for the Yankees," Bader said.