Reds place two veterans on waivers in possible shakeup to MLB playoff races

Teams in need of some late-minute help for their playoff push may be in luck.The Reds placed third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder TJ Friedl on outright waivers, per The Athletic, opening the door for them to land with a contender for the final month of the season.Teams can claim either player and assume the remainders of their respective contracts, but they otherwise would stay with Cincinnati if there are no takers in a 48-hour window.The Reds could also still release both players if they go unclaimed.While the trade deadline is the final time teams can trade for players since the elimination of the waiver trade period, these kind of moves open the door for players to find new homes.The Angels caused a stir in 2023 when they placed six players on waivers and five landed with new teams, while the Yankees also lost Harrison Bader to the Reds due to the same mechanism.Los Angeles’ tactic deviated from the norm due to the startling amount of players placed on waivers and that some of them had been enjoying solid seasons.The two players the Reds could lose are not having strong seasons, and The Athletic reported that Cincinnati is considering possible financial savings.Friedl and Suarez are reportedly also not expected to be with the team in 2027.Suarez, the bigger name of the two, is slashing just .208/.295/.410, although he has 19 homers and 57 RBIs.The 35-year-old reportedly is owed less than $3 million for the remainder of the year, and has a $16 million mutual option for the 2027 season.Suarez, a righty, owns a .715 OPS versus righties and a .668 OPS against lefties, which does not offer much value to contending teams.Friedl, 26, owns a .476 OPS across 253 plate appearances this year and is unlikely to be offered a contract by the Reds in arbitration, per The Athletic.His shocking OPS makes him one of the worst players in baseball this year since Washington’s Nasim Nunez’s .547 mark is the lowest among qualified players.The Reds (63-71) entered Thursda...