The Philadelphia Phillies fans received an early Christmas present with the franchise re-signing Kyle Schwarber during the MLB Winter Meetings. The Phillies will now turn their attention to other needs on their roster, such as improving the outfield.
Nick Castellanos won't be back with Philadelphia next season. It's uncertain if Johan Rojas, Brandon Marsh, or Weston Wilson will be with the club by the beginning of the 2026 regular season. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski needs to make more changes (subscription required), and the outfield could be comprised of mostly new faces by the end of March.
The division rival Atlanta Braves agreed to a contract with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on Wednesday. It's a two-year, $23 million deal with a $7 million club option for the third year.
This contract may set a precedent for other outfielders in free agency, such as Harrison Bader. If that's the case, will Dombrowski still consider re-signing the 31-year-old?
Braves' Mike Yastrzemski contracts puts Phillies in a tough spot to re-sign Harrison Bader
Yastrzemski's contract is a significant commitment to a 35-year-old who isn't known for offense. He slashed .233/.333/.403 with a .736 OPS, 17 home runs, and 46 RBIs in 147 contests with the San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals this past season.
Bader made quite an impression with the Phillies late in the summer after he adjusted to his new club following being traded from the Minnesota Twins at the deadline. The center fielder hit .277/.347/.449 with a .796 OPS, 17 homers, and 54 RBIs in 146 games with Minnesota and Philadelphia. It was an improvement over 2024 with the New York Mets, when he hit .236/.284/.373 with a .657 OPS, 12 home runs, and 51 RBIs in 143 games.
HARRISON FREAKIN' BADER! pic.twitter.com/zhvr76234J
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 4, 2025
The Phillies relied on Bader quite a bit in light of Trea Turner's hamstring strain in September. Manager Rob Thomson inserted Bader into the leadoff spot in the shortstop's absence, where the outfielder succeeded. In 50 games with the Phillies, he finished with a .305/.361/.463 line, an .824 OPS, five home runs, and 16 RBIs.
While taking into account Bader's fit with the Phillies and his emergence as their top outfielder late in the season, offering him a contract similar to what the Braves agreed to with Yastrzemski would arguably be overpaying for the third-round pick from the 2015 MLB Draft.
A deal that Dombrowski may consider offering Bader could be a one-year, $12 million contract with bonuses and a player option for $12 million the following season. Another option could be a two-year, $20 million contract with annual bonuses. However, it has been reported that Bader is seeking a three-year deal.
If Bader is seeking the sort of deal that Yastrzemski got, it's doubtful he'll receive such an offer from the Phillies.
Would it be wise for Dombrowski to offer Bader such a deal? It is certainly debatable. It depends on the Phillies' confidence in the outfielders currently in the organization, aside from Castellanos, and if any other free agent signings or trades are in consideration to improve the position group.