Harrison Bader has declined his side of a $10 million mutual contract option for 2026, making him a free agent. The decision was anticipated, as mutual options are rarely exercised by both players and teams. According to Spotrac, the last time this occurred was when Aramis Ramirez and Milwaukee agreed to a mutual option in November 2014.
Bader, who is 31 years old, had what may have been his best season yet. He posted a .277 batting average with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, a .796 OPS and a 117 OPS+ while playing for both the Twins and Phillies during the year. His performance positions him well to seek a multiyear contract on the free agent market.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski commented on Bader’s contribution: “Harrison Bader did a really nice job for us,” Dombrowski said.
After being acquired before the July 31 Trade Deadline, Bader gave the Phillies an offensive and defensive boost. He batted .305 with an .824 OPS during his time with Philadelphia and was noted for bringing energy to the clubhouse and dugout.
However, Bader suffered a leg injury in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers, which kept him out of the starting lineup for the rest of that series. Dombrowski addressed this setback: “Bader got hurt at the worst time he possibly could, right?” he said. “If he wouldn’t have gotten hurt, would it have changed the series? I don’t know. I wish we would’ve had a chance to try that.”
The Phillies now face decisions about their comfort level in offering Bader a multiyear deal given his previous performance between 2022-24 with other teams such as the Cardinals, Yankees, Reds and Mets—during which he hit .239 with a .644 OPS and an 80 OPS+.
Should Bader sign elsewhere in free agency, Philadelphia may consider Brandon Marsh or top outfield prospect Justin Crawford as options for center field.
