New York Mets Sign Former Yankees' Promising Centerfielder
The New York Mets have signed former New York Yankees centerfielder, Harrison Bader. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that the deal is for one year and worth $10.5 million.
Bader, 29 years old, was placed on waivers by the Yankees in August of last season. He was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds as the team made their playoff push.
In his 14 games with the Reds, he slashed .161/.235/.194. That was down from his .240/.278/.365 slash line with New York in 84 games and 310 plate appearances.
While there are obvious concerns about what he can do offensively, he's one of, if not, the best defensive centerfielder in baseball. If he can even be average for the Mets offensively, this is a steal of a signing.
However, that doesn't seem likely given his past production.
Bader spent the 2017-2022 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded to the Yankees for left-hander Jordan Montgomery. During his years with the Cardinals, the same struggles were present. He was a below-average hitter with a 98 OPS+, who found himself in the lineup nearly every game due to his glove.
His best season was in 2021, where he slashed .267/.324/.460, hit 16 home runs and won a Gold Glove. Bader finished the season with a 3.8 WAR, the highest of his career.
Now, Bader is expected to take over the center field role with Brandon Nimmo now likely moving to a corner outfield spot during the upcoming season.
The Mets made it clear at the deadline last year that they didn't expect to compete for a World Series in 2024 and the moves they've made this offseason have shown exactly that.
