Sports Illustrated’s Will Laws and Nick Seble predict that free agent center fielder Harrison Bader will reunite with the New York Mets this offseason. Bader, who is entering his age-32 season, had arguably his strongest offensive campaign in 2025 between the Twins and Phillies, in which he posted a .277/.347.449 slash line with a .796 OPS and 3.9 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) and a career high 17 home runs in 146 games.
Bader Had His Best Year Statistically In 2025
Bader started the 2025 campaign with the Twins but was later traded at the trade deadline to the Phillies, where he really picked it up offensively, posting a .824 OPS in 50 games down the stretch. Bader, a right-handed hitter known primarily for his glove, came up in the St Louis Cardinals organization as one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball. He was then traded to the New York Yankees at the 2022 MLB trade deadline in a one-for-one swap with left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery.
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Bader was later placed on outright waivers by the Yankees in August of 2023 and claimed by the Cincinnati Reds, where he played just 14 games and struggled, posting a -0.3 WAR. He then went across town to Queens, where he signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Mets in January of 2024.
Bader will undoubtedly be looking to beat that original contract, in which he also signed a one-year deal for $6.25 million with the Minnesota Twins last offseason after consecutive letdown seasons at the plate. But his offensive ceiling changed in 2025 with the Twins, and it only got better from there on out after he was dealt to the Phillies in the same year.
Bader’s Previous Stint With The New York Mets
Bader, in his one-year stint with the Mets back in 2023, was underwhelming offensively, posting a .657 OPS, but was regarded then (and still is) as an excellent defensive center fielder who can also play left field if needed. Bader posted a 7 OAA (outs above average) in center field in 2025, placing him in the 92nd percentile among outfielders, according to Baseball Savant.
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The Mets are badly in need of an outfielder after trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien. The Mets have supposedly taken the “defensive route” in improving their team with the acquisition of the veteran second baseman Marcus Semien and Nimmo, who they traded as a plus bat, but showed regression defensively in the Mets’ outfield last year.
If the Mets miss out on Kyle Tucker, or don’t sign left fielder Austin Hays, who they’ve reportedly shown interest in, according to Jon Heyman, then you can’t entirely rule out a Bader reunion given the simple fact that you know what he’ll provide you defensively, and as it relates to offensive, it’s uncertain if he can duplicate what he did this past year in his split time between Minnesota and Philadelphia, but maybe it’s just enough for the Mets to take another chance on him with a short multi year deal?
It would be an upgrade from a defensive standpoint for the New York Mets, with the possibility of a better showing offensively in a second go-around.
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