Bader's Giants Deal Leaves Phillies' Outfield Plan in Shambles
The Philadelphia Phillies have lost one of their prized offseason signings, with outfielder Harrison Bader agreeing to a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants worth $20.5 million, potentially increasing to $21 million with incentives.
Just last summer, Bader was instrumental in helping the Phillies make a push down the stretch of the regular season, slashing .305/.361/.463 in 50 games and becoming a spark plug that the lineup needed. However, he also brought an injury-plagued postseason run, limited by a groin issue in the NLDS against the Dodgers.
The Phillies had been exploring ways to revamp their outfield, with top prospect Justin Crawford poised to take on the starting center-field job next spring. The team also plans to have free-agent signing Adolis García occupy right field, while Brandon Marsh will remain as the left fielder for now.
While Bader was seen as a potential longer-term fit in Philadelphia, it appears his time with the Phillies is behind him. His decision to join the Giants means that any hopes of reuniting with the team were extinguished, leaving the Phillies' outfield plan to be rewritten once again.
The Philadelphia Phillies have lost one of their prized offseason signings, with outfielder Harrison Bader agreeing to a two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants worth $20.5 million, potentially increasing to $21 million with incentives.
Just last summer, Bader was instrumental in helping the Phillies make a push down the stretch of the regular season, slashing .305/.361/.463 in 50 games and becoming a spark plug that the lineup needed. However, he also brought an injury-plagued postseason run, limited by a groin issue in the NLDS against the Dodgers.
The Phillies had been exploring ways to revamp their outfield, with top prospect Justin Crawford poised to take on the starting center-field job next spring. The team also plans to have free-agent signing Adolis García occupy right field, while Brandon Marsh will remain as the left fielder for now.
While Bader was seen as a potential longer-term fit in Philadelphia, it appears his time with the Phillies is behind him. His decision to join the Giants means that any hopes of reuniting with the team were extinguished, leaving the Phillies' outfield plan to be rewritten once again.
. Bader was always a bit injury-prone, but still managed to have some decent seasons...I mean, who doesn't love a good underdog story? 
I swear, it's like they're trying to recreate the magic of last season or something... maybe they should just stick to drafting and hope for the best? 
#PhilliesNation is gonna miss harrison bader tho! he was like a spark plug in the lineup, bringing energy and clutch hits. but u know how it goes... teams gotta make moves and this one just didn't work out. 20.5 mil for 2 yrs isn't bad tho 
#GiantsWin #BaderToSanFran
to sf giants without so much as a goodbye 
its like they just swooped him up and left us hanging... i mean i know injuries have been an issue for bader but still can we not get that guy for more than 2 years? 
the phils are gonna be stuck with marsh in lf again and García in rf, ugh how am i s'posed to watch baseball now 
the giants are gonna be so lucky to have him 
. meanwhile the phillies are left with a whole lot of nothing in right field... adolis garcia is just not the same as bader 
. i'm really gonna miss watching him play at Citizens Bank Park 
gotta feel bad for the young guys like crawford who were counting on bader to help lead the outfield... maybe this is an opportunity for them to step up and shine 
. Bader was such an important player last year but now he's off to the Giants for double the cash 
. It's not surprising though, injuries have been a major issue in Philly. The Giants are definitely getting a solid player and I think they'll be tough to beat this season 
. Harrison Bader was like the sparkplug they needed, but I guess his injury history just became too much to handle 
. I mean, can't they just catch a break for once? 
That's like losing a crucial piece of your squad 
, it's so frustrating! 
And now he's off to the Giants, which just seems like the ultimate letdown. I get that teams need to make moves, but it feels like they're always losing out on guys who were gonna be their stars for years to come 
But for the Phillies, it looks like their big adventure is coming to an end... not in a good way 
I'm still not sold on their chances this year.