As we understand it, the Philadelphia Phillies are all but done adding to their roster for the 2026 season, save for some possible peripheral pieces. Despite that fact, fans were still holding out hope that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski would, in fact, do something else, anything else. One such hope was that he'd re-sign free agent outfielder Harrison Bader.
But that ship has sailed and the dream, as faint as it might have been, is over. It was reported by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal on Monday afternoon that Bader, 31, has agreed to a two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the deal is worth $20.5 million, with incentives that could take it to $21 million.
Free-agent outfielder Harrison Bader in agreement with Giants on two-year contract, pending physical, source tells @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 26, 2026
Harrison Bader signs with Giants after some Phillies fans still had hope for a reunion
Nothing is final, as the contract is pending a physical and the Giants haven't officially confirmed the news. But now Phillies fans can finally let go of the far-fetched notion that Bader might be coming back to play center field at Citizens Bank Park. Well, he'll still return eventually, but only for a brief visit with his new team.
The Phillies acquired Bader from the Minnesota Twins at the 2025 trade deadline and he immediately endeared himself to Philadelphia with his infectious attitude and high-energy style of play. He played 50 regular season games, slashing .305/.361/.463 with five home runs and 16 RBIs. He dealt with an injury in the playoffs that kept him out of most of the four-game NLDS.
Following the season, Bader declined his $10 million player option and hit the free agent market. After putting together one of the best seasons of his nine-year MLB career, Bader was reportedly looking for a three-year contract. Per Spotrac, the Phillies still owe him a $3 million buyout in 2026.
Seeing him settle for less isn't surprising considering Bader is definitely not the hitter he transformed into during his short stint with the Phillies. While he hit .277 with a .796 OPS in 146 total games in 2025, that was buoyed by his scorching second-half stretch. He's a career .247 hitter with a .714 OPS.
One thing that can't be denied is Bader's well-above-average outfield defense. He ranked 18th among all qualified outfielders with +7 outs above average and seventh with +13 defensive runs saved.
With Bader now out of the picture for good, Phillies fans can focus on the upcoming season and what to expect in the outfield. Top prospect Justin Crawford will get the chance to claim the starting center field job out of spring training. Free agent addition Adolis García and his strong defense will patrol right. With the current roster, left field looks like it will be a platoon of Brandon Marsh and perhaps Otto Kemp, but that's stil be be decided.
Fans will get a chance to see Bader early in the season. The Giants are scheduled to visit for a three-game series from April 28 to 30.