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Harrison Bader will have a big role for the San Francisco Giants in 2026
The San Francisco Giants have addressed one of their biggest needs. The team agreed to terms with center fielder Harrison Bader on a two-year contract pending a physical, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Bader, 31, is coming off one of the better offensive seasons of his career and brings elite defense to an outfield that desperately needed it.
MLB Free Agent Outfielder Harrison Bader Signs with San Francisco Giants
Bader split 2025 between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, posting a career-high .277 average with 17 home runs, 54 RBI, and an .796 OPS across 146 games. Those numbers represent a dramatic turnaround from the previous three seasons (2022-2024), when he hit a combined .239 with a .644 OPS. After declining a $10 million mutual option with Philadelphia in November, Bader hit free agency looking for a multi-year commitment—and he found it in San Francisco.
The Giants needed this. Their outfield defense ranked 28th out of 30 MLB teams in 2025, recording a -15 Fielding Run Value. Left fielder Heliot Ramos posted a -11 Fielding Run Value and -9 Outs Above Average, while center fielder Jung Hoo Lee graded out at -5 OAA.
Bader, a 2021 Gold Glove winner, ranked in the 91st percentile for Outs Above Average in 2025 and logged 66 OAA from 2018-2023—the best mark among all MLB outfielders during that span.
Harrsion Bader Stats
Bader’s 2025 resurgence wasn’t just about defense. After inconsistent seasons at the plate, he posted career highs in average (.277), on-base percentage (.347).
The Phillies saw the best version of Bader down the stretch. In 50 games after the July 31 trade, he hit .305 with an .824 OPS and provided stability in center field—a position Philadelphia had struggled to fill. His energy in the clubhouse and diving catches made him a fan favorite, though a groin injury in Game 1 of the NLDS limited his postseason impact.
Bader brings speed (28.8 ft/s sprint speed, 86th percentile) and baserunning instincts (11 stolen bases in 2025) to a lineup that desperately lacked both. He also provides a right-handed bat to balance a lefty-heavy outfield, though his power (.449 slugging) may play down at Oracle Park.
Giants Were Linked to Bader
The Giants had been linked to Bader since early December, with The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly reporting the team was “poised to engage” with the veteran outfielder. They also pursued a blockbuster trade for Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams before negotiations stalled, but Bader represents a lower-risk play that addresses an immediate need.
The concern is durability. Bader has dealt with rib fractures, groin strains, hamstring injuries, plantar fasciitis, and an oblique issue over the past handful of seasons. If he can stay healthy, the Giants get a Gold Glove-caliber defender who can patrol center field and provide sneaky value on the bases. If he can’t, they’re back to square one with an outfield that already underperformed in 2025.
Justin Carlucci brings 13+ years of journalism experience to Heavy. A veteran of multiple industry-leading companies, he has hosted SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio shows and contributed to the New York Post, combining traditional sports and news reporting with expertise in sports betting and fantasy sports. More about Justin Carlucci
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