Giants’ Harrison Bader Sets Goal of Surpassing Pete Crow-Armstrong in Key Area

With Harrison Bader in center field, the San Francisco Giants figure to be much better defensively in the outfield in 2026.

That’s what he was signed for in January. San Francisco committed a two-year deal worth $20 million and pushed Jung Hoo Lee from center field to right field to make room. That’s Bader’s position now and before he suffered a finger contusion on Friday, he was having a great spring training.

San Francisco sees him as part of the solution in getting the franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. He sees a team hungry to win. He also sees the opportunity for individual achievement.

Harrison Bader’s 2026 Goal

"He has energy, he has passion. I really have the confidence that he'll do anything to win."

Harrison Bader gives his early thoughts on Tony Vitello and his experience last season in Minnesota and Philly.

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— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 27, 2026

During a conversation with MLB Network earlier this week, Bader talked about his new team, his new manager, Tony Vitello and his goals for the season. The one he has in mind puts him in pursuit of one of the game’s best young players, Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is also known for his defense. Crow-Armstrong won the National League Gold Glove in center field last season.

“I'm certainly setting myself to that standard,” Bader said. “You know every time you take the field you have to be ready for that first pitch. So its just putting my body in a really good spot to go out there and make plays on a consistent basis and it’s how you stack those numbers. But I know they’ve got a really good guy in the National League over in in in Chicago who's amazing. I love watching him play.”

Bader has a Gold Glove, which he won in 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He already had a good reputation as a defender when he broke into the Majors and has only amplified that in recent years.

Harrison Bader is worth 51 Defensive Runs Saved and 67 Outs Above Average in his career as a center fielder. He joins an outfield that finished the season with minus-26 defensive runs saved. Lee was responsible for minus-20 DRS, with minus-18 of that coming in center field. So the move is expected to make them better in center field while Lee will have to improve his defense in right field.

While Bader’s bat has at times been inconsistent, the Giants are getting him at a time in which his bat is on an upswing.

He has a lifetime slash of .247/.313/.401 with 88 home runs and 322 RBI. Last year in 146 games with the Twins and the Phillies he slashed .277/.347/.449 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI. From a slugging perspective, it was his best season since 2021, when he slashed .267/.324/.460 with 16 home runs and 50 RBI.