Cleveland Indians: Richie Shaffer is an Intriguing Addition

The Cleveland Indians have claimed third baseman/utility player Richie Shaffer off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. Could he play a role in 2017?

Just a few days ago, the Cleveland Indians made a small move, claiming infielder Richie Shaffer off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. Shaffer has had a bit of a whirlwind offseason. He had spent his entire career with the Tampa Bay Rays but was traded to the Seattle Mariners in a five-player deal in November. From there he ended up being designated for assignment multiple times and ending up in Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

He’s clearly a guy that teams like but also one on the fringe who is far from a perfect player. The question becomes just how good is he if multiple teams have let him go for nothing this winter?

To make room for Shaffer, the Indians designated minor league mainstay Jesus Aguilar for assignment, potentially ending his long career with the organization. Given Aguilar’s status among fans and ability to hit in Triple-A, some may wonder why the Indians would add Shaffer and move on from Aguilar now.

The fact that Shaffer was designated for assignment himself so many times this year only adds to the questions. However, a deeper look at Shaffer shows why he is a very interesting, and potentially a very useful, addition to the Cleveland Indians.