The Cincinnati Reds claimed shortstop Freddy Galvis off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Galvis was batting .267 with 18 homers and 54 RBIs in 116 games with the Blue Jays. He was viewed as expendable due to the arrival of promising 21-year-old shortstop Bo Bichette.
Galvis, 29, is making $4 million in base salary this season. He has a team option of $5.5 million for 2020 with a $1 million buyout.
Also, left-hander Amir Garrett will begin serving an eight-game suspension on Monday. The discipline stems from his role in a brawl between the Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30.
Garrett entered in the ninth inning of a tense affair and repeatedly exchanged words with players in the Pittsburgh dugout. He eventually charged the dugout and met by a half dozen Pirates to start the long brawl that resulted in eight total suspensions.
Garrett, 27, is 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 52 relief appearances this season.
Galvis’ homer total is two shy of his career best output for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016. He is a .248 career hitter with 83 blasts and 354 RBIs in 919 games with the Philadelphia Phillies (2012-17), San Diego Padres (2018) and Blue Jays.