With the offseason well underway now as the GM Meetings are wrapped up, Philadelphia Phillies fans are fretting over the state of free agency and possibly not seeing some of their favorites back in red pinstripes next season. Free agent center fielder Harrison Bader didn't make it any easier on them this week.
Phillies fans were perhaps reading a little too much into a recent post on Bader's Instagram account. The post featured a video of Bader running out to center field at Citizens Bank Park, as well as an assortment of photos from his time with the Phillies.
The message included phrases like, "Two and a half months was not nearly enough, but thats all the Gods had in store for us this year," and had fans assuming he had moved on from Philadelphia, ending any chance of seeing him re-sign with the Phillies.
Free agent Harrison Bader never meant his post to be interpreted as a 'farewell' to Phillies fans
Devan Kaney of Sportsradio 94 WIP and FOX 29 Philadelphia helped to clarify the situation on Wednesday, however.
"Was told Harrison Bader’s latest post does not mean anything regarding his future with the Phillies. Does not mean he’s not returning 'in the slightest,' per Bader’s camp. Was simply a thank you post," Kaney posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Okay, glad we got that out of the way. Whether Bader actually returns to the Phillies is another matter entirely. The outfield free agent market isn't exactly bursting with talent.
The 31-year-old was a fan favorite after joining the Phillies at the trade deadline. He played elite defense, was a sparkplug of positive energy and he wasn't too shabby with the bat either.
In just 50 games, Bader slashed .305/.361/.463 with five home runs, 16 RBIs, 30 runs scored and one stolen base. He posted 129 wRC+ and 1.2 fWAR in that short span. Unfortunately a leg injury derailed his chance to contribute in the postseason.
Where would Harrison Bader fit in Phillies' 2026 outfield plans?
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said that the team has interest in bringing back Bader this winter. However, there are question marks swirling around the 2026 outfield right now. Being able to insert the veteran Bader in center would solve a lot of problems.
Dombrowski said this week that the team would feel comfortable giving top prospect Justin Crawford the center field job to start the year (subscription required), per The Athletic's Matt Gelb. But uncertainty remains about his ability to play center field defense at the major league level. He might be best suited for left.
For his part, Bader had previously said that he would love to return to Philadelphia. He spoke about how much he enjoyed his time with the Phillies and the possibility of a return after the Phillies soul-crushing Game 4 loss of the NLDS, per Phillies Nation's Destiny Lugardo.
“Yeah. Absolutely,” Bader said about whether he'd want to re-sign, per Lugardo. “You know, I’ve said this a lot. I think winning baseball and winning culture and wanting to win, I think, is a universal language. I don’t think the uniform really kind of defines that. Being dealt into a clubhouse where a lot of guys, if you will, speak that same language, I think it’s very easy for me to fit in. I’m just really grateful for everybody. I was just really really excited to play here. Obviously, not what we wanted, but, you know, there’s always a next opportunity, so I’m just focused on that.”
There's still a lot of time and plenty of deals to be made in free agency, so all we can do is wait and see if anything comes of the buzz around Bader's possible return.