SAN FRANCISCO — Free agent outfielder Harrison Bader and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $20.5 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.
Bader confirmed the agreement on “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman," a New York Post podcast. Bader shared how he came up with San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman in the Texas League and also faced Willy Adames in the NL Central when the shortstop was with the Brewers and Bader was on the Cardinals.
“Well first and foremost, the opportunity, there's no doubt about it,” Bader said of choosing the Giants. “All you can do in this game is just work to set yourself up for the best opportunity possible, and I've always wanted to play as many games, have as many at-bats as possible, be on a winning team. The Giants could not be a more perfect fit for me. I'm just very excited. I love playing with superstars and a lot of really, really talented players.”
The 31-year-old Bader batted .277 with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .796 OPS in 146 combined games with Minnesota and Philadelphia last season — setting career highs in all those categories.
He was especially productive for the Phillies after they acquired him at the July 31 trade deadline, hitting .305 with an .824 OPS in 50 games for the NL East champions.
Bader, a Gold Glove centre fielder with St. Louis in 2021, played all three outfield spots for the Twins last season. Philadelphia used him strictly in centre, where he has spent most of his career.
Adding an outfielder was a priority for the Giants, who upgraded their rotation this offseason by signing right-hander Adrian Houser to a $22 million, two-year contract that includes a 2028 club option, and right-hander Tyler Mahle to a $10 million, one-year deal. The team also gave reliever Jason Foley a $2 million, one-year contract.
A right-handed batter, Bader is a .247 career hitter with 88 homers, 322 RBIs, 105 stolen bases and a .714 OPS in nine major league seasons with the Cardinals, Yankees, Reds, Mets, Twins and Phillies.
Bader likes the new direction of the Giants, now led by former catcher Buster Posey as president of baseball operations and general manager Zack Minasian — who hired former Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as manager to replace Bob Melvin following a fourth straight year out of the playoffs.
“It's a fresh front office, it's obviously a fresh coaching staff, some SEC ties in Tony Vitello,” said Bader, who played college baseball in the Southeastern Conference at Florida. “So it's always good to be in a new place but have familiar faces. ... I'm just really, really happy it worked out because it's very rare in this game that things work out pretty perfectly.”
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