Harrison Bader, the veteran outfielder, is officially staying with the San Francisco Giants for the 2027 season, the final year of his contract. President of baseball operations Buster Posey dropped the news, and honestly, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher after everything that went down last year. This wasn’t a sure thing heading into the offseason, not by a long shot.
The Scooter Crash, The Injury, The Contract Violation: What a Mess
Let’s rewind to July: Bader was already sidelined with plantar fasciitis when he got into a late-night scooter crash in San Francisco’s Marina district. Yikes. The Giants weren’t having it; they determined he’d violated his contract and suspended his pay “until he is able to resume performing services for the club,” all while they investigated. The guy played only 30 games in 2026, spending most of his first year with the team on the injured list. San Francisco signed the 32-year-old to a two-year, $20.5 million deal last offseason, hoping he’d be the guy to fix their outfield defense, which, let’s be real, needed some serious shoring up.
Posey confirmed at general managers meetings in Las Vegas that Bader will be with the organization next year, and we’re supposed to get a joint statement with more details soon. But here’s the kicker: Bader isn’t just waltzing back into a starting spot. Posey was crystal clear: “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.” Talk about high stakes for his final year.
Young Guns Are Coming For His Spot
While Bader was dealing with injuries and, uh, scooter incidents, the Giants saw a bunch of young talent emerge, and they’re all looking to snag outfield spots in 2027. Jonah Cox is a serious contender for center field, flashing insane speed and agility out there. Then there’s Drew Gilbert, whose splits are heavily skewed to crushing right-handed pitching, making him another strong option for a platoon in center.
Casey Schmitt, who played left field for the first time last year, could move out there permanently, opening up second base for Marcelo Meyer, who the Giants snagged at the trade deadline. Jung Hoo Lee is expected to lock down right field, and young prospects Bo Davidson and Victor Bericoto are also in the mix. Bader’s got his work cut out for him, big time.
Manager Tony Vitello even visited Bader in New York early in the offseason, checking in on him. Vitello noted the scooter accident made his plantar fasciitis worse, but said Bader is now doing full workouts and running at 85% of his full speed. Vitello also hinted at Bader’s mindset, saying, “I think he feels a sense of duty.” He added that “Last year didn’t go the way he wanted performance-wise when he was on the field, and no player wants to be injured. And I think he’s in a pretty good headspace for how motivated he is going into next year.” It sounds like he knows what he needs to prove.
Coaching Shuffle Adds to the Drama
On top of everything, the Giants are shaking up their coaching staff. Hitting coach Hunter Mense bolted for the Kansas City Royals, and while they’re close to hiring a new hitting coach, Posey’s not spilling the beans on who it is yet. Assistant hitting coach Oscar Bernard is sticking around, though. And the pitching coaching crew is shifting, with assistant pitching coach Christian Wonders getting reassigned to minor league’s director of pitching, overseeing their growing prospect group. Posey called Wonders a “super bright guy” and a “doer type of personality.”
With so many changes and so much competition, 2027 is shaping up to be a make-or-break season for Bader and a fascinating one for the Giants’ outfield. Bader’s gotta perform or he’s gonna be on the outside looking in.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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