Former Mets Outfielder Harrison Bader Signs One-Year Deal With Twins

Bader, 30, joined the Mets on a one-year, $10.5 million deal last offseason in hopes of rebounding from a challenging 2023 campaign. That season saw him waived by the New York Yankees at the end of August and suffer a season-ending sports hernia and right adductor strain while with the Cincinnati Reds.

Before the 2024 All-Star break, Bader posted a solid .733 OPS over 84 games, with eight home runs and 36 RBI. However, his production dropped significantly in the second half, as he slashed .167/.230/.283 (.513 OPS) over his final 59 games.

Bader ended the year with a .236/.284/.373 slash line, 12 home runs, 57 RBI, and 17 stolen bases in 25 attempts. He also went 1-for-9 with three runs scored in the postseason. Despite the downturn in his numbers, he set a career high for regular-season games played (143) after dealing with a series of injuries in the previous three years.

A Gold Glove Award winner with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, Bader has been one of the league’s top defensive outfielders since becoming a regular starter. From 2018 to 2024, he ranks first among major league outfielders in Outs Above Average (75) and sixth in defensive runs saved (48).

In 2024, Bader ranked in the 95th percentile for range and the 86th percentile for arm strength, according to Statcast, accumulating +10 Outs Above Average and -2 defensive runs saved in center field. The Mets addressed his speedy, glove-first role earlier this winter by acquiring outfielder Jose Siri in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Siri, 29, ranked in the 99th percentile for both Outs Above Average (+16) and average sprint speed (29.9 mph) last season. Over his four big-league seasons, the right-handed-hitting outfielder owns a .210 batting average and .266 on-base percentage, but he has shown some power by belting 25 home runs in 2023 and 18 in 2024.

Siri is expected to serve as the Mets’ primary defensive replacement, spelling Tyrone Taylor, Brandon Nimmo, and Juan Soto in the outfield as needed. Other outfielders on the roster, including Jesse Winker and Starling Marte, are expected to see more time as New York’s designated hitter.

As for Bader, he joins a Twins outfield already anchored by former All-Star and Platinum Glove winner Byron Buxton in center. Minnesota lost Max Kepler to the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency this winter, opening a door for Bader to compete for a starting role alongside Buxton and Trevor Larnach.

Given Buxton's injury history, which has kept him under 100 games in all but two of his 10 MLB seasons, Bader offers valuable insurance in center field. Even if he ends up as the Twins' fourth outfielder, he could play a role similar to that of Manuel Margot in 2024. Margot appeared in 129 games despite starting only 70, playing all three outfield spots in the process.

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