The deadline for exercising options is Thursday at 5 p.m. ET, but the Philadelphia Phillies got an early answer about the future of one of their free agents-to-be. Outfielder Harrison Bader opted out of his $10 million mutual option with the Phillies, making him a free agent for 2026. The deal includes a $3 million buyout.
It wasn't the most surprising outcome for a mutual option, especially with the type of year Bader had. The 31-year-old had a career year and will look to maximize his market for other possible suitors, including the Phillies. Bader was entitled to that opt-out that he originally signed with the Minnesota Twins, but now it leaves the Phillies in a vulnerable spot with the current outfield.
OF Harrison Bader declined his portion of his mutual option for 2026 and will become a free agent.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) November 5, 2025
Harrison Bader would still fit in Phillies' outfield despite choosing free agency
Bader couldn't have hoped for a better year right before hitting the open market. He hit .277 with a .796 OPS, while hitting .305 with an .824 OPS in 50 games as a member of the Phillies. Bader's 17 home runs and 54 RBIs are exactly what the Phillies needed out of their outfield, but now they hope that they can replicate that if he doesn't return.
Throughout the season, the Phillies' outfield group sported a .710 OPS overall, 18th best in MLB. The Phillies had the likes of Nick Castellanos (.694 OPS) and Max Kepler (.691 OPS) desperately trying to keep the team above water, but it was Bader that truly saved them from drowning.
From his first game as a Phillie on Aug. 1, the outfield group immediately picked up the production to the tune of a .764 OPS, seventh best in MLB. He was a fire starter for the offense and even sparked the Phillies as the leadoff hitter when Trea Turner went down with an injury in the final month of the season.
Bader will look to earn a sizable deal this winter, while the Phillies prepare for another season with question marks in the outfield if they can't bring him back. He primarily played center field when he was acquired at the deadline and was an elite defender, giving the Phillies a much-needed boost while he was out there chasing down fly balls. The club will possibly be forced to revert to Brandon Marsh or someone else to plug the hole.
Bader was very valuable in his short time in Philadelphia. He had a throwback look to him, a fiery personality, and played with an intensity that the city appreciated. He raised the floor for the Phillies this winter, so they better figure something out if they aren't able to re-sign him in free agency.