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Former Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr claimed off waivers by Giants

The once promising outfielder went only 1-for-29 for the Phillies this season.

Aaron Altherr went from playing regularly in right field early last season for the Phillies to being designated for assignment last week.
Aaron Altherr went from playing regularly in right field early last season for the Phillies to being designated for assignment last week.Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Aaron Altherr will get a fresh start in an attempt to reboot his once promising career.

One week after getting designated for assignment by the Phillies, Altherr was claimed off waivers Saturday by the San Francisco Giants. The 28-year-old figures to get more playing time in a Giants outfield that includes Kevin Pillar, Mac Williamson, Steven Duggar, and Tyler Austin.

Altherr didn't make anything of his scant opportunities with the Phillies, beginning the season in a 1-for-29 funk. He had a miserable 2018, too, batting .181 with a .295 on-base percentage, eight homers and a .628 on-base plus slugging and getting sent down to triple-A midway through the season.

But Altherr is also two years removed from hitting 19 homers in only 372 at-bats. He’s a strong defender capable of playing all three outfield positions, a factor that led the Phillies to think that a team would claim him.

“We think he can still be a productive player,” manager Gabe Kapler said last weekend after the Phillies moved Altherr off the roster. “Just the situation here with us, it was very difficult for him to even get on the field, even to the point of having difficulty finding him pinch-hit at-bats.”