MLB News: After Surprise DFA, Jake Fraley Is Claimed on Waivers by NL East Team

After being surprisingly designated for assignment a couple of days ago, former Cincinnati Reds fan favorite, outfielder Jake Fraley, has been claimed by the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta will now pick up the remainder of his $3.125 million salary, and they do have the option of hanging onto him for another year, with one more year of arbitration eligibility.

The Reds, meanwhile, have been scolded by team observers for their move of DFA'ing the gritty Fraley.

Jake Fraley played the entire 2024 season while his daughter won her battle with cancer.

Jake Fraley played with a broken toe to help the team make a playoff push in 2023.

DFA’ing him after he just hyperextended his knee is so awful. He gave everything to this team
— Patrick Kinman (@Patchman513) August 17, 2025

This is NOT how you should treat somebody like Jake Fraley.

He literally played through injury in 2023 with this team in the pennant race, his daughter battled Leukemia and has been nothing but there for this team.

He got hurt putting his body on the line to try and make a play… https://t.co/IKIR6tMYR7
— Alex Frank (@frankie_nnati) August 17, 2025

Reds manager Terry Francona made an intriguing statement about Fraley after he was DFA'd, explaining, “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, where maybe he thinks he deserves to play, which I understand, is maybe better than him sitting the bench here."

It's unlikely he'll get that chance to start in Atlanta, who already have Ronald Acuna, Michael Harris and Jurickson Profar in the outfield, and Marcell Ozuna at DH.

Fraley was batting just .232 for the Reds this season, with a steep decline in his home run and stolen base numbers, however, his .719 OPS still ranked ahead of seven other position players on the team.

At his best, as in 2022 and '23, Fraley can provide some pop in his bat and good speed on the bases. Overall, in seven MLB seasons, he is a league-average hitter, with an OPS+ of 100, carrying a .247 average and a .736 OPS.