Harrison Bader to sign with San Francisco Giants
After half a season with the Phillies, Harrison Bader is headed elsewhere in free agency. He is reportedly signing a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. The deal is worth $20.5, with $500,000 in incentives, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Bader slashed a career-best .277/.347/.449 in his age-30/31 season in 2025.
Bader capitalized on that fortunate timing, declining his end of a $10 million mutual option with the Phillies earlier this offseason. The Adolis García deal didn’t take the Phillies completely out of the running, but coupled with the asking price, it made a reunion much tougher given the club trying to control its payroll this offseason.
Apart from their generally murky outfield picture and his strong 2025 overall (with plus defense), much of Bader’s appeal to the Phillies was his immediate impact after his deadline-time trade from Minnesota. He hit .305 with an .824 OPS in that span, with the club rallying around his demeanor in the clubhouse in the process. Many things went into the Phillies’ NLDS defeat to the Dodgers, but arguably one of the costliest was Bader’s hamstring injury in Game 1, keeping him out of the starting lineup (and outfield) the rest of the way. Perhaps at no point was his value to the Phillies more apparent than when he wasn’t on the field.
He pinch hit in the 11th inning of Game 4 and struck out to end the top half. It turned out to be the Phillies’ last at bat of the season. It was also his last as a Phillie.
The Phillies will head into the season with prospect Justin Crawford as the favorite to break camp with the team as the starting center fielder. Brandon Marsh will play left field against right-handed pitchers. He’ll be paired with a platoon partner, either Otto Kemp or another right-handed hitting outfielder. Garcia will start in right field. Nick Castellanos is expected to be traded or released before the start of camp.
Destiny Lugardo contributed to this post.