ATLANTA _ The Milwaukee Brewers made a significant and telling player move Sunday when they claimed veteran catcher Stephen Vogt off waivers from Oakland.
The Brewers not only opted to change their catching situation, they added a strong clubhouse presence to a young, inexperienced club that has defied expectations by sitting in first place in the NL Central much of the season.
The Brewers had a 40-man roster spot open for Vogt but will have to remove a player from their roster to add Vogt.
The left-handed-hitting Vogt, 32, was an American League All-Star in 2015 and 2016 but his productivity waned considerably this season, both with the bat and behind the plate. He was batting .217 with a .287 OBP, four home runs and 20 RBIs when the A's designated him for assignment three days ago.
Vogt has a $2.965 million salary this season and has two more seasons before he can be a free agent. In 2015, he batted .261 with 18 homers and 71 RBI. The following season, he hit .251 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs.
Assuming the Brewers are not going to carry three catchers, Jett Bandy is most vulnerable to losing a roster spot. He has been in a prolonged slump at the plate (2 for 43), dropping his average to .211. He also has struggled to throw out runners on steal attempts, nabbing only six of 38 (15.8 percent).
Bandy has a minor-league option remaining, so the Brewers could send him down without exposing him to waivers.
