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Cincinnati Reds DFA Slumping Hunter Renfroe as Players Return From COVID List

Amid a slew of call-ups and COVID returnees, the Cincinnati Reds have bumped veteran slugger Hunter Renfroe off their 40-man roster.

Sam Connon

Cincinnati Reds DFA Slumping Hunter Renfroe as Players Return From COVID List
Cincinnati Reds DFA Slumping Hunter Renfroe as Players Return From COVID List /
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The Cincinnati Reds have designated outfielder Hunter Renfroe for assignment, the team announced Monday afternoon.

The announcement came after the club had already made a slew of moves earlier in the day. Cincinnati activated left-handed pitcher Alex Young from the COVID-19 injured list, optioned right-handed pitcher Carson Spiers to Triple-A, called up right-hander pitcher Connor Phillips from Triple-A and placed outfielder Harrison Bader on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain.

To offset the loss of Renfroe, outfielder Stuart Fairchild also came off the COVID-19 injured list.

The Reds claimed Renfroe off waivers on Aug. 31, just two days after the Los Angeles Angels let him go. To that point, Renfroe was batting .242 with 19 home runs, 56 RBI and a .737 OPS on the season.

Renfroe had failed to match that production since arriving in Cincinnati. In 14 appearances with the Reds, Renfroe was hitting .128 with one home run, four RBI and a .432 OPS.

Excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Renfroe is averaging 28 home runs a year in his six full seasons of MLB action. The 31-year-old outfielder ranks No. 22 in home runs in all of baseball dating back to the start of 2017.

The 78-73 Reds are right in the thick of a playoff race, as they sit 0.5 games back of the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins for the third and final NL Wild Card spot with 11 games to go. FanGraphs gives Cincinnati a 30.5% chance of making the postseason.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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