Outfielder is still out on free agent market and might be able to get picked up for one-year deal at this point.
As the Milwaukee Brewers still find themselves dealing with the possibility of losing pitching ace Freddy Peralta without getting any assets in return, they should pay attention to another free agent still on the market.
By now, outfielder Harrison Bader probably thought he'd get a deal before this season kicks off.
Bader, though, is a man without a team right now. He'd be a good addition to the Brewers if a contract can be worked out.
During free agency, The Athletic has been tracking what's been happening on the market itself. The outlet tracks the top 50 MLB free agents, then updates their information as players are signed to new deals.
Bader, though, just hasn't been front and center for many teams. The Athletic had the Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies listed as the best fits for Bader.
In the 2025 MLB season, Bader split time between the Phillies and Minnesota Twins. Looking at what Bader did last season, The Athletic had some interesting points to make about him at this time.
"Following three straight seasons with an OPS below .660, Bader settled for a one-year, $6.25 million deal last offseason, and then had a career-year at age 31, batting .277/.347/.449 with 17 homers for the Twins and Phillies," according to The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman.
"Despite losing some raw speed, he can still handle center field and be an elite left fielder, making Bader one of the best defensive free agents available," Geeman wrote.
"He’ll likely be in line for a multiyear deal this time, although skepticism about his offensive improvement is warranted given an uptick in strikeouts and the lack of substantial changes to his plate discipline or batted-ball metrics," Gleeman continued.
Sure, Bader probably wants a multiyear deal, but it's just about three weeks away for most pitchers and catchers to report for spring training.
It's hard to believe that Bader is not with a team at this point. That's what might make the Brewers, if they offer some type of contract to him that works, a landing spot for Bader.
Right now, according to FanGraphs, the Brewers have Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, and Jake Bauers in their outfield. Garrett Mitchell and Blake Perkins can come off the bench if needed.
Should the Brewers go after Bader? I think it makes some sense. Milwaukee could add a veteran player who knows his way around the outfield, plus could provide some offense as well.
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