San Francisco Giants claim Aaron Altherr off waivers

UPDATE: After a week of waiting, we learned Saturday that the San Francisco Giants won the Altherr waiver claim. Altherr should have an opportunity to get some playing time in San Francisco, as right fielder Stephen Duggar is currently hitting .252/.296/.360. Altherr could also see time in left field.

Parting with a remarkably talented athlete is bittersweet, but, as the Phillies have proven via their aggressive roster management this season, there’s no time for this team to wait around and see if guys like Aaron Altherr can fight their way out of massive slumps. They want to win now.

Altherr is best known for his extremely promising 2017 campaign, in which he slashed .272/.340/.516 with 19 long balls over the course of 107 games.

He was one of few bright points in an otherwise abysmal 2017 season.

The 6’ 5” outfielder has always had a projectable build, and, with his athletic capabilities, he was able to play all positions in the outfield — and played them well. His defensive prowess was the primary reason he’s stuck with the Phillies for so long, even while his bat has been at its worst.

Let’s take a look back at some of Altherr’s biggest and brightest moments:

Hitting the first EVER grand slam off of Clayton Kershaw:

Who could forget this one?

Making Ozuna look silly on a walk off double:

His moonshot over the Green Monster:

Regardless of whether or not you were an Altherr fan, it goes without saying that his consistently positive attitude, as well as his unmatched athleticism will be missed around the Philadelphia clubhouse.

It is indeed possible that the Phillies will be able to engineer a trade for AA prior to his clearing waivers, as his potential speaks for itself, and there are plenty of teams out there seeking outfield aid — Cleveland, Baltimore, Miami, and San Francisco to name a few.

Wherever he may land, we at The Good Phight wish him well.

Happy trails, AA.