Yankees’ Harrison Bader Reacts to Rough Career News: ‘What Does Waivers Mean?’

The Yankees center fielder said he learned the news by watching ESPN before Tuesday’s game.

Harrison Bader found out his time with the Yankees might be at an unceremonious end on Tuesday before New York’s game against the Tigers, but he handled the situation with some comedy. After his team’s 4–2 win in Detroit, the center fielder explained that he found out he was placed on waivers from watching ESPN in the lunch room before the game. A reporter asked for his reaction to the news, and he answered with a witty response.

“Uhh like what does waivers mean?” Bader said with a chuckle. “In all seriousness, regardless of what happened or what may happen, just getting the opportunity to play in this uniform—and I still hopefully get the opportunity to play in this uniform—just everything that’s happened has just been an absolute blessing, an absolute gift.” 

Bader, who grew up in New York, was traded to the Yankees from the Cardinals in August 2022. He performed well for the team last year but has struggled this season. He started the year with an oblique injury in spring training and is currently going through a slump at the plate. He’s batting .239 and has 68 hits in his 285 at-bats in 2023. 

Since he was placed on waivers, any other team has the opportunity to claim him and add him to its roster by Friday. Doing so would make him eligible for the postseason roster. If he’s not claimed during that time, he’ll stay with the Yankees organization.