Giants outfielder Harrison Bader set to begin rehab assignment on Tuesday

Giants outfielder Harrison Bader will begin a rehabilitation assignment on Tuesday, as he makes his return from a strained hamstring that landed him on the injured list on April 15. Prior to that, he had been attempting to play through the injury, which originally flared up during Spring Training.

Bader has been assigned to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, where he's expected to remain for a 10-day assignment. While he hasn't been announced for Tuesday's starting lineup, it's expected he will be suited up and slotted into the batting order.

Harrison Bader will start a rehab assignment in Sacramento tomorrow. Daniel Susac is feeling good and is also getting close to a rehab assignment.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 4, 2026

The well-traveled veteran played for six teams before signing with San Francisco this offseason: The St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, and Philadelphia Phillies. He agreed to add the Giants to his growing list of Major League stops in January, but the former Gold Glove winner has only appeared in 15 games thus far for San Francisco.

In that brief time, Bader has hit .115 with one home run, three RBI, and four runs scored in 52 total at-bats. And while he's known for his defense, those early numbers will definitely rise once he gets more playing time. Bader is a career .245 hitter.

Should Bader start ahead of Gilbert?

Apr 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Drew Gilbert (0) bats against the Miami Marlins during the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

One of the debates currently simmering among the Giants' fan base is what to do with Bader when he returns. An established big-leaguer with experience on winning teams, the defensive wizard is an asset to any team. However, his skills may translate more to a veteran team that's ready to win it all now, as opposed to the Giants, who are at least a year or two away.

Adding to the equation is a youngster who fits the mold of a team that is likely going to have to at least have a partial rebuild. 25-year-old Drew Gilbert, who was originally drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, now looks like the Giants centerfielder of the future.

Gilbert has hit .255 with two home runs and five RBI this season, while sprinkling in a few clutch moments along the way. He represents tomorrow, and the better he plays? The more Bader starts to look like yesterday. So, it should be interesting to see how manager Tony Vitello mixes and matches the two upon Bader's reentry to the roster.

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