Oct 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Harrison Bader before game one of the NLDS round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Diamondbacks Could Fill Need with Former Phillies Outfielder

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Jan 17, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks, after shutting down Ketel Marte trade rumors not too long ago, seem to finally be moving on with their other offseason plans. After all, they just traded for Nolan Arenado and signed Taylor Clarke in the past week.

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But there is still undoubtedly work to be done. There are still other areas of need that must be addressed if the D-backs want to claw their way back into contention in the 2026 season.

A recent article from Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller listed out a realistic option to plug a position of need for each MLB team. Miller landed on the outfield as the D-backs' biggest need, and mentioned former Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader as a realistic potential acquisition.

One could easily argue the bullpen would still take precedence over the outfield, but that is still an area worth addressing for Arizona after trading Jake McCarthy and while still awaiting the return of Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Arizona Diamondbacks Could Target Harrison Bader

Allan Henry-Imagn Images

"After all that talk of Ketel Marte on the trade block, the Diamondbacks instead acquired one of the biggest names on the block in Nolan Arenado. They still have some holes to plug, though, with outfield arguably the biggest one, after both Alek Thomas and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. provided little to no value in 2025," Miller wrote.

"OF Cody Bellinger notably was born and raised in Arizona, but OF Harrison Bader is the more realistic option for a team that already has a projected payroll north of $200M."

Miller is likely correct in positing that the D-backs would not entertain Bellinger, although there's a case to be made that he would fill multiple needs (first base and outfield). Still, Bader is a much more attainable option.

Bader began 2025 with the Twins, but was traded to the Phillies at the Deadline. After hitting to a .774 OPS in Minnesota, Bader saw an improved .305/.361/.463 slash and .824 OPS for the Phillies in 194 plate appearances.

But while his (right-handed) bat is certainly an asset, it's Bader's defense that makes him stand out. He was worth +13 Defensive Runs Saved in 2025 per Baseball-Reference, +5 Fielding Run Value, and +7 Outs Above Average per Statcast.

His offensive peripheral metrics suggest a bit of a regression toward a career 96 OPS+ (just below league average), but he runs well, has generally been a quality defender, and could provide some quality plate appearances from the right side, with enough pop to have potential for 15+ home runs.

However, FanGraphs' crowdsource estimate expects a two-year deal worth $24 million. $12 million average per year feels a bit high for Arizona at this stage, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Most likely, the D-backs will turn their attention and resources to continuing to add to the bullpen, but a right-handed bat with quality defense like Bader could be worth a look.