The Atlanta Braves added some depth to their outfield on Monday, acquiring Stuart Fairchild from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations.
The Braves transferred right-hander Joe Jiménez to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Fairchild, who had been designated for assignment by the Reds last week. Jiménez is still recovering from knee surgery and could be sidelined for the entire 2025 season.
Fairchild's DFA was among the flurry of roster moves made by the Reds ahead of Opening Day. Despite exhausting his final option year in 2023, the Wake Forest product managed to stay on Cincinnati's roster to provide valuable outfield depth as the club dealt with numerous injuries.
Braves acquire Stuart Fairchild as outfield depth in trade with Reds
Originally selected by the Reds in the second round (No. 38 overall) of the 2017 MLB Draft, Fairchild has long been known as a glove-first depth outfielder. However, as a fringe MLB outfielder, his bat often held him back; and it was his poor showing at the plate this spring that seemed to seal his fate with Cincinnati. The 29-year-old slashed .132/.233/.184 in 45 Cactus League plate appearances this year, a sharp downturn from his already mediocre career batting line of .224/.308/.389.
In his three seasons with the Reds, Fairchild slashed .232/.316/.403 over 229 games. He became known for his ability to hit left-handed pitching – and only left-handed pitching. His career OPS against southpaws is .755, compared to just .644 against right-handed pitching.
Despite the offense that leaves much to be desired, Fairchild does have 10 Defensive Runs Saved and nine Outs Above Average in his 1,389 ⅓ career innings. He is a solid platoon outfield option who can play above-average defense. He has also flashed plenty of speed on the base paths, stealing 23 bases over the past two seasons.
Since he is out of minor league options, Fairchild will report to the big-league club in Atlanta. However, since his Major League service time is between two and three years, he can be under team control for four seasons.
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