Harrison Bader was supposed to be a big pickup for the San Francisco Giants.
Instead, his 2026 season was a nightmare that included a brutal suspension, and the year wasn’t really any better for the Giants in general.
That sets up a lot of questions about Bader, because he’s still got a contract. The Giants have to decide what they’re going to do with him.
Buster Posey had his season-ending press conference on Tuesday, and one of the topics that he spoke about was Bader.
Buster Posey on Harrison Bader Plans
This is what Posey said about Bader when asked on Tuesday:
“Everybody, including Harrison, is disappointed about how this thing unfolded. Right now he’s under contract for next season.”
That last line says a lot but also doesn’t say much. It’s basically Posey saying that he’s not going to provide more insight at the moment.
With a potential lockout pending, too, it could be a while until the Giants have a real conclusion on Bader.
Harrison Bader’s Bad Season, Suspension
Jon Becker of Fangraphs acknowledged in a recent article that the Giants could decide to get rid of Bader.
Even if they don’t, he doesn’t see a way they head into next season relying on him heavily.
“The most puzzling situation here is Bader, whom the Giants signed to a two-year, $20.5 million contract this past offseason,” Becker writes. “While it’s smaller scale than the contracts of (Willy) Adames and (Matt) Chapman, which have been a mixed bag so far, the Bader deal is probably the single biggest disaster of Posey’s tenure.”
Even before the suspension, Bader was dealing with injuries, and he wasn’t playing well when he was able to get onto the field.
Giants Reveal Plans for Harrison Bader After Suspension