The Philadelphia Phillies may end up losing one of their most recent acquisitions to free agency.
The Phillies traded the Minnesota Twins ahead of the trade deadline for veteran outfielder Harrison Bader, who stepped up in his limited time in Philadelphia. Across 50 games with the Phillies, Bader slashed .305/.361/.463, but an injury derailed his playoff performance, limiting him to a pinch-hitting role only.
After opting out of the final year of his contract worth $10 million, Bader is set to test free agency. Steve Adams, Anthony Franco, Darragh McDonald and Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors compiled a list with predictions for the top 50 free agents this offseason, and all four writers predicted that Bader will be leaving the Phillies in free agency.
“Interested clubs can probably expect average offense, good speed and strong defense from Bader,” the article read. “For a 31-year-old (32 in June) who’s entering a bleak market for center fielders, that should be enough to get him a multi-year deal this time around.
“Glove-first outfielders with volatile offensive performances typically don’t break the bank in free agency. … But Bader has likely shown enough to get a multi-year contract — likely a two-year deal with an outside chance of three. The Phillies could try to keep him, and clubs like the Guardians, Royals, Mets, D-backs, and Tigers got little to no production out of center field in 2025.”
Bader is a former Gold Glove winner and is known for his defense, but is also coming off his best season offensively, setting career highs in home runs, RBIs and batting average. The veteran speedster is projected to sign a two-year contract worth roughly $20 million, according to Spotrac, and his ability to play all three outfield positions would make him a welcome addition to any outfield-needy team.
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