Former Cincinnati Reds Outfielder Could Benefit From Change of Scenery

The Cincinnati Reds designated outfielder Jake Fraley for assignment on August 17. The timing of the move felt odd. Manager Terry Francona spoke to reporters after Saturday night's loss to the Brewers and said that the 30-year-old outfielder had hyperextended his knee on a play against the Milwaukee Brewers. Instead of placing him on the injured list or sitting for a few games, the Reds opted to DFA him.

“Through conversations and there's some that are kind of private, and some that I can't explain, but just came to the I think the idea that kind of giving Jake a chance to go play," Tito would tell reporters. "Where maybe he thinks he deserves to play, which I understand, is maybe better than him sitting the bench here.”

The Atlanta Braves claimed Fraley off the waiver wire on Tuesday. On the season, he is slashing .232/.333/.403 with six home runs. The power has been down for Fraley over the last two seasons; he has only hit 11 home runs over that span. Before that, he hit 15 in 2023. He has only collected 49 RBIs since the start of 2024. Fraley had the best batting average of his career in 2024, but his OPS has declined in every season since 2022.

A change of scenery could benefit him. Fraley is a solid defender with a plus-one outs above average. He made a spectacular play in Cleveland on a diving catch to preserve a complete-game shutout from Andrew Abbott on June 10. Fraley joins an outfield with Jurickson Profar, Michael Harris II, Eli White, and Ronald Acuña Jr.

Reds have DFA’d Jake Fraley.
Here’s Francona on the move.

“Giving Jake a chance to go play where maybe he thinks he deserves to play, which I understand, is maybe better than having him sit the bench here.”

Adds it’s never easy.

“It’s a big deal and we take it that way.”
— Brian Giesenschlag (@BGiesenschlag) August 17, 2025