Few, if any, positives can be taken from Harrison Bader’s first season with the San Francisco Giants.
At the GM Meetings, president of baseball operations Buster Posey noted that the ongoing investigation regarding Bader, which stems from the outfielder further hurting his already-injured foot in a scooter accident during the 2026 season, will likely conclude soon.
Buster Posey Expects San Francisco Giants To Keep Harrison Bader, for Now
Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area cited Posey, who expects an update on the Bader situation.
“Buster Posey said there will be an official update from MLB and Giants on the Harrison Bader situation soon. Posey said he’ll still be in the organization (he has one more year on his contract),” Pavlovic said on X.
The Giants signed Bader to a two-year deal prior to the 2026 season. Bader, like many of his teammates, struggled. He slashed .170/.198/.358 with five home runs. In late May, Bader went on the injured list with a foot injury. Following his scooter accident in July, the Giants announced that Bader’s pay for the remainder of the season would be suspended.
Pavlovic detailed what is expected to come out of the upcoming announcement.
“The upcoming announcement likely will deal with how much of the roughly $1.5 million that was left on his 2026 contract he actually will lose, as well as potential losses if he is not able to return to the field in 2027,” Pavlovic reported. “At the moment, at least, the Giants are somewhat optimistic about Bader’s health. He is going through a running progression, and the belief is that he will be physically ready whenever spring training begins.”
Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle also quoted Posey, saying Bader “‘feels a sense of duty’ to come back next year healthy and is in a good headspace.”
Bader’s Place With the Team in 2027 Is Still Far From Assured
While the Giants are not moving on from Bader immediately, it could still happen before (and if) the 2027 season gets underway.
“Suspending payment was an extraordinary step, and it’s unclear how Bader feels about it because he has not spoken to reporters since before the accident. The Giants were frustrated over the summer, but there was no upside in hinting at future moves on Tuesday,” Pavlovic explained.
“Releasing Bader would leave them on the hook for the full $10 million he is owed next season, which may not even end up being 162 games,” he added. “There remains a possibility that they could find a trade for the veteran outfielder if they heavily pay down the contract.”
There is also a matter of fit.
Young outfielders like Jonah Cox and Drew Gilbert showed promise in 2026. And while it was only in six games, Bo Davidson showed signs of promise during his brief call-up, hitting .350. That came on the heels of a strong Minor League season, where he slashed .290/.361/.527 and hit 29 home runs.
Posey addressed that while discussing Bader’s potential role with the team going forward.
“The way I’d say he fits in is he’s going to have to go out and play, and play well to get playing time,” Posey said, per Pavlovic.
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