31 August 2023
Harrison Bader was back in the Yankees starting lineup Wednesday, a day after the speedy center fielder learned he had been placed on waivers.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone put the 29-year-old Bader back in the outfield and in the sixth spot in the batting order for their road game against the Detroit Tigers. Bader also played Tuesday night in Detroit, going 0-for-4.
Bader, an impending free agent, would need to be claimed by another team by 11:59 p.m. EDT Thursday to be eligible for its postseason roster.
A native of Bronxville, N.Y., Bader said Tuesday he originally saw on ESPN that he had been placed on waivers, which was first reported by Newsday’s Erik Boland.
“I’m a New York City kid and I never, in a million years, thought I’d play in the big leagues, let alone for the New York Yankees,” Bader told reporters after Tuesday’s win. “Just the opportunity has been incredible and I’ve loved every second of it. Whatever happens, happens. I understand it’s a business.”
The Yankees acquired Bader from the St. Louis Cardinals before the 2022 trade deadline. He entered Wednesday with a .236 batting average, seven home runs, 46 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 97 regular season games with the Yankees, with whom he has battled injuries.
Bader ingratiated himself to the Yankees last year with a torrid postseason, slugging five home runs in nine games.
The 2021 Gold Glove winner said he would remain near his phone but wouldn’t let any waiver rumors distract him whenever he takes the field for the Yankees.
“I did a really good job of, once you get between the white lines, just turning it off,” Bader said Tuesday. “It’s kind of in those moments in between, the put your helmet down stuff, where you’re just like, ‘Hmm, that really happened.’”
Bader’s situation comes during a season in which the Yankees are in last place in the American League East. On Tuesday, the Yankees released 37-year-old third baseman Josh Donaldson, who batted .142 in 33 games this season and was moved to the 60-day injured list after suffering a calf strain last month.
Any team that claims Bader would owe him less than $1 million for the remainder of the season.
“Regardless of what happened or may happen, just getting the opportunity to play in this uniform, and I still hopefully do get the opportunity to play in this uniform … has been an absolute blessing and an absolute gift,” Bader said.
VOLPE MAKES HISTORY
Anthony Volpe’s combination of power and speed continues to make Yankees history.
The 22-year-old shortstop on Tuesday became the first player in team history to hit 19 home runs and steal 20 bases during his rookie season. Alfonso Soriano hit 18 homers and stole 43 bases during his rookie campaign in 2001.
Another home run would make Volpe the 14th Yankee to record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season, and the 15th rookie in MLB history to do so.
Volpe, a former first-round pick out of New Jersey’s Delbarton School, entered Wednesday with a .216 batting average and 54 RBI.
“He just likes to play and compete,” Boone said. “At a young age, I think he has an understanding [of] this game and an appreciation [that] it’s not always gonna go your way. In a game of failure, you’re gonna fail a lot. The really good ones are able to handle that. He’s a lot like Aaron [Judge] in that way. He just keeps on moving and trusts he can eventually get the job done.”
HOWARD RELEASED
The Yankees released minor-league pitcher Spencer Howard on Wednesday, less than a month after acquiring him from the Texas Rangers before a quiet Aug. 1 trade deadline.
The 27-year-old Howard, a former second-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies, appeared in three MLB games for Texas this year before the Yankees added him for cash considerations.
He didn’t pitch for the Yankees but surrendered five runs over 2.2 innings for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes/Barre after the trade.
The Yankees’ only other acquisition before the trade deadline was reliever Keynan Middleton from the Chicago White Sox.
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