What Hunter Renfroe and Harrison Bader bring to the Reds' lineup
New Cincinnati Reds outfielder Harrison Bader found out that the New York Yankees put him on waivers last week when he was watching ESPN in the clubhouse and saw his name pop up on the screen. New outfielder Hunter Renfroe had two former teammates on the Los Angeles Angels walk up to him and ask him what was going on.
Bader and Renfroe didn’t know much about the waiver process when their teams surprisingly put them on waivers. But they ended up joining a Reds team that’s 1.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race entering Friday’s games. Even though they’ll have to adjust to a new team on the fly during the stretch run, they get the chance to play meaningful baseball in September.
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“It was a weird scenario,” Renfroe said. “We weren't supposed to find out, but it got leaked to the media at some point. I had to play two games (with the Angels) knowing that you’re probably going to be gone. But I’m glad to be here. I’m glad to represent the Reds.”
“It’s all about baseball,” Bader said. “Regardless of the emotion that may or may not be involved, playing meaningful baseball is always important at this level. To be on a team that’s playing meaningful baseball in September means a lot. I’m happy to just be able to play. Watching from afar, this is a young team that does a lot of things really well. A lot of aspects of my game are what they focus on over here.”
Before Friday’s doubleheader, the Reds provided several reminders of how much their offense needed a boost.
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Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India continued the second step of his rehab progression from plantar fasciitis and went through a running progression on the field. Shortstop Matt McLain was briefly in the clubhouse but then left for a check-in with a doctor about his oblique injury. Outfielder Jake Fraley got activated from the injured list but acknowledged that it still hurts when he runs due to his toe injury. Manager David Bell said that first baseman Joey Votto hasn’t begun baseball activities yet after Votto tweaked his shoulder.
The Reds offense has been slumping, especially their rookie hitters. Bader and Renfroe give the Reds two proven veterans in the lineup.
“This was unexpected, for sure,” Reds manager David Bell said. “It’s not something any of us had thought about. They’re definitely welcome additions to our team.”
Bader is one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball. He won a Gold Glove in 2021 and has been an every day player in MLB for his entire seven-year career. According to Baseball Savant, his range and his arm strength are elite. Last year, Bader was a postseason hero for the Yankees with an incredible hot stretch in the playoffs.
Bader has taken a step back offensively this season, which he said was a result of a short slump that took place after coming off the injured list. But the 29-year-old has a .343 batting average against left-handed pitchers in 2023.
When the Reds face left-handed pitching, Bader will likely bat leadoff and play center field. He’ll get less frequent playing time against right-handers, but Bader will be a big factor off the bench because of his speed, his defense, and his ability to pinch-hit.
“(Bader’s) defense speaks for itself,” Renfroe said of his new teammate. “He has had an incredible defensive career. His hitting has been phenomenal as well. He had a great year last year for the Yankees. He’s a great player and a great dude.”
Renfroe is an eight-year veteran who has bounced between five different teams, but he has always been a consistent starter. Excluding the shortened 2020 season, Renfroe has taken at least 400 at-bats in every season since his rookie year. He hit 31 homers in 2021 and 29 homers in 2022, and he has 19 homers this season.
Renfroe was hitting .242 with a .737 OPS with the Angels, and he also has an elite arm in right field. He’ll get regular playing time in the Reds lineup.
“(Renfroe) has always had a really good arm, and he has a lot of power,” Bader said. “I was always aware of him as a defender. He’s a great player. He’s here for a reason. We’re here to play winning baseball. Every win matters in these stretches, and he adds value in a lot of ways.”
Bader and Renfroe were a part of a small group of players in MLB who got waived last week. The Angels placed six players on waivers with the hope of getting under the luxury tax, and the Yankees waived Bader after calling up young prospects who New York wanted to give regular playing time.
Every MLB team had a chance to put in waiver claims on these players on Thursday, and the team with the worst record was granted that player. The Cleveland Guardians, who have a worse record than the Reds, scooped up three pitchers from the Angels. The Reds put in multiple waiver claims and ended up with two outfielders who were in the starting lineup for the first game of Friday’s doubleheader.
Bader and Renfroe likely expected to be in the playoff chase this season with their old teams. But after the Yankees and Angels drastically underperformed this season, the Reds got an opportunity to add two impact players.
“It really comes down to silencing the noise and remembering why you’re in that locker room, regardless of what the uniform is,” Bader said. “That’s to play meaningful baseball. That’s what matters. I’ve always said it’s never about the uniform you’re in. It’s about the ball, respect for the game and everything that revolves around playing winning baseball.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What Hunter Renfroe and Harrison Bader bring to the Reds' lineup
