Former New York Yankees Star Signs With Mets
He's coming back to town.
Former New York Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader is signing a one-year, $10.5 million deal with the New York Mets.
SNY's Andy Martino and The New York Post's Joel Sherman were first on the news.
Bader is known for his glove in center, posting nine outs above average in 2023. However, his bat is less productive as he has a .243 average and .706 OPS for his career.
Bader has also dealt with injury issues, missing 199 games over the past three seasons due to various ailments.
Bader will turn 30 in June and was a college teammate of Mets superstar Pete Alonso at the University of Florida.
The Yankees acquired Bader from the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2022 trade deadline for starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery.
The Bronx native became a postseason hero in 2022 with five home runs in the playoffs. But after a hot start in 2023, Bader dealt with several injuries and his bat cooled off.
The Yankees placed Bader on waivers and August, where he was claimed by the Cincinnati Reds. He will now be returning to New York after a brief stint in Cincinnati.
Bader is just the latest Yankee to be poached by the Mets this offseason, Carlos Mendoza and Luis Severino went to Queens as well.
