Bader played in 50 games for the Phillies, starting 43 of them. He slashed .305/.361/.463 and hit five home runs with the team, and declined his $10 million mutual option after the season. He brought some stability to the team’s outfield and could be a solid pickup for any team in need of outfield help. Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly predicted Bader would leave the Phillies to sign with the Texas Rangers.
“New Rangers manager Skip Schumaker was on the coaching staff in St. Louis in 2022 during Bader’s final half season with the Cardinals, and knows what his defense can bring to an outfield,” wrote Kelly. “Assuming Texas moves on from Adolis García, Bader would give the Rangers another Gold Glove-caliber defender to go with Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford moving forward.”
Kelly predicted a two-year, $27 million deal for Bader with a $13 million club option for 2028. He was great at the plate for the Phillies in his short stint, but his defense has always been his biggest asset. He won a Gold Glove in 2021 as a center fielder and just had a career year offensively.
Before this season, Bader had a .242/.306/.392 slash line. Last year, he slashed .277/.347/.449 in 146 games between the Minnesota Twins and Phillies. He also hit a career-high 17 home runs.
