Harrison Bader is coming off the best offensive season of his career, and this well-timed surge at the plate set up the former Gold Glover nicely as he enters free agency. The Phillies are known to be open to reuniting with Bader after he performed so well for Philadelphia following a deadline trade from the Twins, and the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser writes that Bader also “piques the Giants’ interest” as the team explores the outfield market.
Bader’s chief calling card is his glove, as public defensive metrics indicate consistently good-to-great numbers for Bader over his nine big league seasons. 2025 was no exception, as he received +6 Defensive Runs Saved and +3 Outs Above Average over 568 2/3 innings as a center fielder, and +7 DRS and +3 OAA for 496 innings as a left fielder. Last season marked the first time that Bader saw any work in the corner outfield slots since 2018, as he probably would’ve gotten more looks up the middle in Minnesota if Byron Buxton hadn’t stayed healthy.
The offensive production has been much more of a roller-coaster for Bader, as while he posted some above-average numbers with the Cardinals earlier in his career, he had just an 80 wRC+ over 1094 plate appearances across the 2022-24 seasons. It seemed as though Bader was destined for a fourth-outfielder role for the remainder of his career, but his bat came to life in 2025. Bader hit .277/.347/.449 with 17 homers over 501 PA for the Twins and Phillies, for a personal best of 122 wRC+.
It’s a fair question to wonder if this production can carry over into 2026 and beyond, as Bader had a .359 BABIP and a host of subpar Statcast metrics undermining last season’s numbers. MLB Trade Rumors still ranked Bader 31st on our list of the winter’s top 50 free agents, but with a fairly modest projection of a two-year, $26MM contract. Bader is helped by the fact that the pickings are quite slim in this year’s center field market, and the list has been further thinned since Trent Grisham accepted the Yankees’ qualifying offer, Cedric Mullins signed with the Rays, and the Twins don’t appear to have any interest in dealing Buxton.
At the very least, a team signing Bader can count on superb defense, and that has natural appeal for the Giants at spacious Oracle Park. Jung Hoo Lee has posted brutal defensive numbers (-20 DRS, -6 OAA) over his two Major League seasons as San Francisco’s center fielder, and Lee’s strong throwing arm perhaps makes right field a better fit. Since left fielder Heliot Ramos is also a below-average defender, adding a defensive ace like Bader into the mix is a clear and obvious way for the Giants to upgrade their glovework on the grass.
I hate this app… every team has interest in everybody 😕 lol
It’s going to be like that, especially right now with the Winter Meetings happening right now. Every little murmur for any team just doing due diligence will be reported.
If interested wasn’t reported their would be no app. Be a lot less reporters as well.
That’s how all the new gms operate they want to gauge what each player is looking for. If it’s lower then what their numbers indicate then they try to sign the guy to a deal they think they can get surplus value.
If SF acquires Bader, it will be a tacit admission that the Lee signing was a failure, as Lee was expected to be able to handle CF.
Lee got overpaid, AAV $18.8 mill and his glove/bat have not been great. I didn’t account for the signing to be a defensive one but Lee being more so a table setter with his bat which has been only slightly above league avg. Atleast SF has been able to recoup some of the investment through clever marketing and selling of the Saiyan hats to all the hooLEEgans at Oracle Park.
The 2026 season is when fans can start grading Lee properly. I don’t think his contract can be considered a “failure” quite yet.
Bader is a very poor choice for SF. Besides his declining defense (at least as a CF), he just had the only decent offensive year of his career AND he doesn’t hit lefties well, something the Giants should be looking for, especially in a platoon (say with Drew Gilbert).
Would rather have Yaz imho
Been there done that, and the Giants have enough lefty hitters
I agree and we shouldn’t be looking at Bader either
Yaz is 35 and can’t play centerfield. Buster knows the value of a top notch defensive center fielder. He is looking for his version of Andres Torres.
Classic giants buy high move get that rowand 2.0 in
That Lee contract was a travesty and a half
If Lee played half his games in NY he’d be an all star every year.
Nalyd:I guess we could trade him to the Yankees. Lol. In reality I hope Vitello and coaches try to make him a leadoff hitter. He got moved around in the lineup a lot in 2025. Coach him into being more of a contact hitter, drawing BB and using his speed by bunting for hits at times. Cut down his swing some. We don’t need him to hit HR. Lots of infield hits available to the left side with his speed.
You only know this cuz it’s 2029.
Not really. Most people were shocked by the price tag when there hasn’t been any star hitter out of Korea thus far. He was a contact-oriented guy and got a huge contract who also steals no bases. not worthy of that contract. Don’t get the NY comment because he has had no All Star year at all, and if it’s a dig at a big market, take it up with the Commissioner’s office that fans shouldn’t get a vote which I’d be all for.
Two years into a six year contract isn’t time enough to call a contract a “travesty”.
Plenty of time to improve.
Crystal ball seems murky, so I doubt your future telling prowess.
How much better do you think he’s gonna get? Apparently he’s bad defensively in CF, playing that position was one of the main reasons he got so much attention out of Korea. So he’s better suited in LF or RF and his batting line does not fit there
He’s only had the equivalent of one full season in Oracle Park. One full season against MLB caliber pitchers. Why wouldn’t he improve at his age as he learns the league and ballpark dynamics. You look at your stats and read other people’s opinions. I’ve seen every game he has played as a Giant, and see the potential.
Mmm no he’s performing pretty much exactly as expected
As basically a 4th outfielder for all that money? That was what was expected?
If only they could find someone to take Jung Ho Lee off their hands.
Why? 2.4 war last year and is getting paid 19 m a year.
It’s like 10 million/win on the FA market so he’s technically been a bargain
Closer to 1.5 WAR
2.4 fWAR
GMoney if you think he is a bargain because he would get 29m as a free agent right now then you put way too much weight into the whole $/war.
He wouldn’t touch 19m a year right now. Not even on a one year deal.
Says who? You?
Well considering I just wrote it then me for sure. Though if you took a poll I’m sure the vast majority would agree.
I think we found Lee’s burner account
Shinjo 2.0
He’s already better than Shinjo.
Because he wears a kilt?
RxDude97 — Not so fast!
Bader should do pretty well this offseason. He has a good market from the giants, Phillies and others being interested.
He is a good fit on both teams. Though I feel like a better fit on the Giants. He won’t likely hit as well next year but his defense I think is more valuable to the giants. Though I think the giants still need a better overall bat/defender in Left or right as well.
As a Phillies fan, watching him limp off the bench to get the clutch base hit and then limp back to the bench in a key postseason moment was enough for me. Nothing wrong with a gold glove centerfielder and 250 hitter batting ninth in your lineup. As long as the Phillies get rid of the other three guys who should be batting night in their lineup.
I got Bader to the Royals so let’s move on from here…
“Interest, favorite, rumored, met with” – these are just buzz words that fans hear every offseason. Media want fans to believe they are in the know on every player & team
Fans continue being cautiously optimistic that their team is going to sign FA/make trades
Unless Passen, Pav’s, Slusser, Baggerly are actually reporting a signing/trade then Giants fans need to assume it’s just a rumor
Giants fans have been burned many times by such rumors floated by agents & media
Remember Jon “Arson Judge” Heyman reporting Giants signed Judge
He had good numbers this year but he does that thing with his mouthpiece that makes him completely unwatchable. I just hope the Astros don’t sign him. I don’t know if I could watch lol
A lot of talk about how bad Ramos was defensively (which is warranted) but Lee’s defensive numbers seem to get overlooked. His bat was decent but his defense left a lot to be desired. That said, I’m not sure Bader is the answer in the outfield for the Giants. If he is signed, does Lee got to right field or left field? His bat doesn’t look as good if he is playing the corners. And does his defense improve in left enough over Ramos that it makes up for Ramos’ offense being removed?
That’s great the Giants have interest in an actual outfielder playing the outfield. Can they sign him now? Bader in CF, Lee in RF, and Bichette at 2B. Giants have the money to improve this team and compete in the division.