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Jul 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins left fielder Harrison Bader (12) waves at a fan while walking to the dugout after the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

New York Mets, Yankees among teams interested in reunion with outfielder

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Ezra Lombardi | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 12:00 PM ET

With the July 31 trade deadline rapidly approaching, the New York Mets have been active in their pursuit of upgraded pitching and center field play.

The club made a move to address the first need last Friday, trading for left-handed reliever Gregory Soto. But the Mets likely aren't done, and reports indicate they are in the mix to bring back a familiar face to boost the outfield.

According to ESPN's Jorge Castillo, the Mets, Dodgers and Yankees are among the teams interested in trading for Minnesota Twins outfielder Harrison Bader. As Castillo noted, Bader is on a one-year deal and is viewed as a rental by the inquiring teams.

Lately the Mets have been relying on a split between Tyrone Taylor and Jeff McNeil in center field. While Taylor adds tremendous defense, he is batting just .204 this season. McNeil has done a fine job in center, but would be better suited in his natural position at second base.

Mets, Yankees Have Shown Interest In Harrison Bader https://t.co/GhY0K0BjGB pic.twitter.com/gEMwOrswxe
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) July 29, 2025

Just last week, David Stearns down played the need in center field, complimenting the two players as well as Carlos Mendoza's management of the situation.

"I’m comfortable with the setup we have right now," Stearns said. "Mendy is doing a great job of finding the right days for Jeff to be out there and for Tyrone to be out there. It’s two skill sets that complement each other, so I‘m comfortable with that. Like with the rest of the team, we’re going to explore areas of upgrades and that’s one of them."

David Stearns was asked about his appetite to add to the Mets' position player grouping.

Stearns says the Mets will be "engaged" when it comes to possibly adding a center fielder. pic.twitter.com/YEpA7iSVcQ
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 21, 2025

Still, the 31-year-old slugger would be an immediate upgrade in center from an offensive standpoint. In 94 games this season, Bader is slashing .254/.337/.439 with 12 home runs in his ninth professional season, which included stops in both Queens and the Bronx. His Twins have had a disappointing season and have already started selling, trading starting pitcher Chris Paddack to the Tigers on Monday.

For the right price, Bader will add consistent production to the bottom half of the Mets lineup that has seen shaky stretches this season. While young third baseman Mark Vientos has been the subject of trade talks recently, The Athletic's Will Sammon and Tim Britton asserted that he would not be made available for a rental player, effectively ruling him out of a Bader deal.

While Stearns mentioned he feels comfortable with the contributions they are getting from the bottom half of the lineup, he added that they "have to figure out a way to score more runs." Bader could be an immediate fix in this department (in addition to providing elite defense), and could be the next domino to fall for the Mets before the 6 PM deadline on Thursday.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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