The Philadelphia Phillies have added a few pieces this offseason and appear comfortable with their roster as it stands heading into the new season.
Because of that, free-agent outfielder Harrison Bader is now expected to land elsewhere, a surprising development given how strong his performance was last year. Despite being one of the league’s most overlooked contributors, Bader may not be in Philadelphia’s plans.
Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball projected that Bader could sign a two-year, $30 million contract with the Kansas City Royals.
“While the Phillies could still move Nick Castellanos to create more opportunities in the outfield, there may simply not be enough room for Bader to return,” Finkelstein wrote. “My updated projection has Bader joining a Kansas City team that badly needs a reliable veteran presence in its lineup.
“Kyle Isbel has manned center field for the Royals in recent seasons and excels defensively in Kauffman Stadium’s large outfield, but his offensive production has lagged. Bader would be a clear upgrade for a team that should be seeking improvements before spring training.”
Kansas City is looking to add talent around star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., but lacks the financial flexibility to compete for top-tier free agents such as Cody Bellinger.
Turning to a more cost-effective veteran like Bader would be a logical move. His defensive ability would play well in Kansas City’s spacious outfield, and his bat would complement Witt in the middle of the order.
While a reunion would make sense for the Phillies, all signs point to the organization being willing to let Bader walk.
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