DETROIT — Harrison Bader remained both in limbo and in the Yankees lineup on Wednesday night.
The center fielder, who was placed on irrevocable waivers on Tuesday, started a second straight game in center field in a 6-2 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park though his Yankees future was hanging in the balance.
Bader went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in potentially his final game as a Yankee.
Teams have until Thursday to claim Bader — they would take on the roughly $880,000 he is owed the rest of the season — but if none do (which would be a surprise), he could remain on the Yankees’ roster.
“One of the best center fielders, if not the best defensive center fielder that I’ve played with,” Gerrit Cole said. “I’ve played with some good ones. George [Springer], Cutch [Andrew McCutchen] and [Aaron] Judge. So if he does get claimed, I hope it’s to a playoff team and I hope he gets to keep pursuing his dream of winning a World Series. He certainly deserves it and he plays hard every day.”
Bader was not alone in the uncomfortable situation.
He was one of a number of high-profile MLB players who reportedly landed on waivers Tuesday.
But he and his teammates had to play through the unusual circumstance.
“The business days of the year — the trade deadline, the old waiver deadline and this thing — sometimes it can be distracting, for sure,” Cole said. “What you end up doing is just leaning on your teammates. It’s so easy to root for guys that show up every day and play hard.”
Manager Aaron Boone said he could not comment on Bader’s situation, but was asked in general about the handful of players being placed on waivers across the majors, including reportedly six from the Angels alone.
“When you walk through it, you kind of get it,” he said. “Understand who might be in play for that or who it makes sense to potentially do that with, I guess.
“Especially the way things get leaked or rumored or whatever, that always makes it a little awkward.”
One of the two players the Yankees acquired at the trade deadline last month is out of the organization already.
The Yankees on Wednesday released Spencer Howard, the right-hander whom they acquired from the Rangers in exchange for cash considerations.
Howard was about to be designated for assignment by the Rangers before the Yankees traded for him, general manager Brian Cashman later revealed, so the club took a low-risk flier on him.
The 27-year-old Howard, a former Top-100 prospect, was on the injured list at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after giving up five earned runs across 2 ²/₃ innings and three appearances for the RailRiders.
Michael King is staying on a five-day routine.
A day after throwing four scoreless innings in a start against the Tigers, King was listed as the Yankees’ probable starting pitcher for their series finale Sunday at Houston.