Player Outlook
There have been flashes of fantasy upside over the course of his first seven major-league seasons, but Harrison Bader has yet to truly put it all together at age 29 and is coming off one of the worst years of his career. He stole 20 bases in 23 attempts between the Yankees and Reds in 2023 but posted a miserable .274 on-base percentage across 344 plate appearances. That is an incredibly low OBP for a player who tends to rank in the 85th-to-95th percentile in sprint speed. Bader plays tremendous defense in center field, but he almost seems allergic to drawing walks and struggles to make hard contact against right-handed pitching. Given that most people and pitchers are right-handed, it's difficult to project how he is ever going to break into the ranks of reliable fantasy outfielders. Find steals elsewhere.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
r
Runs
hr
Home Runs
rbi
Runs Batted In
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
sb
Stolen Bases
avg
Batting Average
2024 — — — — — — — .000
2023 222.52.3 44 7 40 17 20 .232
2022 1912.2 38 5 30 15 17 .250
3y Avg. 225.52.3 42 9 40 20 15 .252
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Fantasy Performance by Week
17%
Roster
7%
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Fantasy News

  • Mets' Harrison Bader: Named everyday center fielder

    Manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday that Bader (groin) will serve as the Mets' everyday center fielder this season, Pat Ragazzo of SI.com reports. Brandon Nimmo has seen the bulk of the starts in center field for the Mets in each of the past four seasons, but he's graded out as an average-to-below-average defender in most of those years and will shift to left field to make room for Bader, who should represent a notable upgrade with the glove. Durability hasn't been a strong suit for Bader in recent seasons, however, and even when healthy, he's taken a step backward at the plate since his last full campaign with St. Louis in 2021. In the ensuing two seasons, Bader has cobbled together an underwhelming .251/.299/.393 slash line (89 wRC+) over 1,058 plate appearances with three different teams. His defense and $10.5 million salary should keep Bader's playing time secure in his first season with the Mets, but expect him to bat near the bottom of the lineup and provide most of his fantasy value in the steals category, after he pilfered a career-high 20 bags in 2023 despite playing in only 98 games. The 29-year-old underwent surgery at the end of last season to address a groin strain suffered in September, but he said Monday that he will "absolutely" be ready for Opening Day, even if the Mets elect to ease him along slowly in camp, according to Tim Healey of Newsday.
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  • Mets' Harrison Bader: Nets one-year deal from Mets

    Bader signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Mets on Thursday, Andy Martino of SNY.tv reports. Bader has slashed just .241/.284/.352 over 657 plate appearances since the start of the 2022 campaign but remains one of the premier center field defenders in the game. The 29-year-old should see the bulk of the starts in center for the Mets, allowing Brandon Nimmo to shift to left field. Nimmo is expected to still play some center versus righties, which would likely mean DJ Stewart in left those days. Bader also provides some protection in the event Starling Marte gets hurt again, although Bader has been pretty brittle himself.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Shut down for season

    Bader (groin) will not return this season, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Bader hit the injured list with a groin strain Monday, and the injury is evidently serious enough that he won't play again this season even if the Reds make a playoff run. He recorded a .429 OPS in 14 games with Cincinnati after being claimed off waivers from the Yankees, meaning he'll head into free agency having hit just .232/.274/.348 in his walk year.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Forced to IL with groin strain

    Bader was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a right groin strain. Bader suffered the injury during Sunday's loss to the Mets and will be sidelined for at least the next week and a half. He will be eligible for activation during the Reds' final series of the regular season, although it remains to be seen whether he will be ready at that time.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Sitting against righty

    Bader is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Mariners. Bader was added to the lineup Tuesday versus a right-hander after Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) had to be scratched, but the 29-year-old went 0-for-4 and will head back to the bench Wednesday even as Renfroe remains sidelined. Bader should continue to draw most of his starts against southpaws. It'll be another righty in Logan Gilbert taking the mound for Seattle on Wednesday at Great American Ball Park.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Added to lineup Tuesday

    Bader was added to the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mariners. Bader will start in center field and bat seventh versus the Mariners and right-hander Bryce Miller after Hunter Renfroe was scratched due to left hamstring tightness. Bader has primarily played against left-handed pitching opponents since the Reds claimed him off waivers from the Yankees on Aug. 31.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Swipes bag in win

    Bader entered as a pinch runner, stole a base and scored a run in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Cubs. Bader ran for Jake Fraley, who led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double, then Bader stole third before coming home with the game-tying run on an Elly De La Cruz base hit. The steal was the 18th for Bader, who's notched double-digit thefts in four of the last five full MLB seasons. He's made two appearances -- one start in Saturday's doubleheader -- since being claimed off waivers from the Yankees and is expected to provide depth for the new club.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Batting leadoff in Reds debut

    Bader is starting in center field and batting leadoff in his Reds debut Friday in the first game of a doubleheader versus the Cubs. Left-hander Jordan Wicks is starting for the Cubs, so the Reds have a lineup full of batters who can swing from the right side of the plate. Bader might not play much versus righties, but he could be his new team's regular leadoff hitter and center fielder against southpaws.
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  • Reds' Harrison Bader: Claimed by Cincinnati

    Cincinnati claimed Bader off waivers from the Yankees on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com of ESPN reports. Bader never really found his groove in New York, partly due to injuries, but he has always been productive against left-handed pitching and plays excellent defense in center field. The 29-year-old is a solid and inexpensive pickup for the Reds as they battle through key injuries and try to make up ground in both the NL Central and NL Wild Card standings. He's only owed what's left of his $5.2 million salary for 2023 and is scheduled to become a free agent this winter.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Not in Thursday's lineup

    Bader is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Detroit, Erik Boland of Newsday reports. Bader is sitting out two days after the Yankees placed him on waivers, potentially setting the stage for him to move elsewhere if another team is willing to assume the money remaining on his $4.7 salary for 2023. With Bader on the bench, Isiah Kiner-Falefa will pick up a start in center field Thursday.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Hits waivers

    The Yankees placed Bader on waivers Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. Bader has slashed .242/.279/.370 across 302 plate appearances with the Yankees this season, and any team is now free to pick him up with a waiver claim. The speedy outfielder signed a two-year, $10.4 million contract in 2022, but his new team will only be responsible for whatever remains on his deal.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Held out Monday

    Bader is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers. Bader was held out only once over the last 23 games, but with him going just 3-for-35 (.086) over the last 10 games he started, he will open on the bench for the second time in four days. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will man center field for the Yankees on Monday.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Heads to bench Friday

    Bader is absent from the lineup Friday versus the Rays. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will start in center field for the Yankees after Bader went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in Thursday's series finale against the Nationals. The 29-year-old has batted .249/.287/.381 with seven homers and 16 steals through 78 games this season.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Swipes two bags in win

    Bader went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, two runs and two stolen bases in Wednesday's 9-1 victory versus Washington. Aaron Judge stole the show Wednesday with three home runs, but Bader posted a nice stat line as well while notching his first multi-hit game in nearly two weeks. The center fielder also logged his first multi-steal contest of the campaign, raising his season total to 16 thefts in 18 attempts. That stat has been the primary source of Bader's fantasy value, as he's otherwise posted a quiet .254/.292/.388 slash line with seven homers, 39 RBI and 40 runs over 289 plate appearances.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Tallies three hits Sunday

    Bader went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI in Sunday's loss to Houston. Bader had collected just three hits through 15 at-bats in August coming into Sunday before he matched that hit tally in five plate appearances. The outfielder also notched his first two RBI of the month with run-scoring singles in the fourth and eighth frames. Bader is slashing .260/.291/.420 with seven homers, 35 RBI, 32 runs and 11 stolen bases through 63 contests on the campaign.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: On bench Tuesday

    Bader is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against Tampa Bay. It may just be a standard rest day for Bader after starting seven straight games in center field, but it's also worth noting he's drawn some trade interest ahead of Tuesday's deadline, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Billy McKinney is manning center field and batting seventh.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Tallies three hits Wednesday

    Bader went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Mets. Bader collected half of the Yankees' hits in the contest, including the team's only extra-base hit with his second-inning double. That knock led to the team's second run, and Bader crossed the plate again in the fourth following a leadoff infield single. The veteran outfielder tied a season high with the three hits and recorded his first multi-hit game since July 3.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Back in action Sunday

    Bader (ribs) is starting in center field and batting sixth Sunday against the Royals. Bader has been held out of the lineup since Wednesday due to bruised ribs, but he made an appearance off the bench Saturday and is back in the starting nine for Sunday's series finale. The 29-year-old has struggled early in the second half with a .182/.240/.182 slash line through seven games.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Not ready to return

    Bader (ribs) remains on the bench Saturday against the Royals. Bader left Wednesday's game against the Angels with bruised ribs after getting hit by a pitch and hasn't played since. He was reportedly available off the bench Friday but didn't make an appearance, so it's likely he'll be available in a similar capacity Saturday. He's expected back in the lineup Sunday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
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  • Yankees' Harrison Bader: Out of lineup Friday

    Bader (ribs) is not in the starting lineup Friday versus Kansas City. Bader was hit by a pitch Wednesday against the Angels, which ultimately led to him exiting the contest early, and it will now force him to miss at least one contest while he nurses some bruised ribs. Billy McKinney will start in center field and bat eighth in the series opener with the Royals.
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