Among center fielders in free agency, Harrison Bader The best choice for defense. In 2025, he tied for seventh among qualified outfielders with 13 defensive runs. In fact, since his debut in 2017, Bader has racked up a staggering 67 DRS and 77 above-average shutouts.
In 2025, Bader combined his typically stellar defense with the best offensive performance of his career. In 146 games between the Twins and Phillies, he appeared in 501 plate appearances, batting .277/.347/.449 for a 122 wRC+ while setting a career high with 17 homers and increasing his slugging percentage to 40.3%. However, there are questions about whether his performance is sustainable, considering Bader batted .359 in the game, well above the league average of .291.
Offensive question marks aside, Bader is expected to earn a multi-year deal via free agency. We at MLBTR expect him to sign a two-year, $26MM contract. Which team will take the risk? Here are some options:
phillies
A reunion with the Phillies would make a lot of sense. Kyle Schwarber, JT Realmutoand rangers suarez Both are free agents, and as much as the club would love to bring Schwarber back, there might be some available salary if the other two end up leaving. Overall, the Phillies’ outfield defense hasn’t been a strength in recent years. 2025, Brendan Marsh and Max Kepler is roughly average in the field, while Nick Castellanos Right field value -11 DRS, probably won’t join the team in 2026. John Rojas Gained 4 DRS in 418 2/3 outfield innings but posted just a 58 WRC+ in 172 games. Justin Crawford Crawford is rated as the team’s No. 3 prospect, according to MLB.com, and could be considered, though a reunion with Bader would add to the defense while giving Crawford time to acclimate to the major leagues.
Angel
angels used Mike Trout This year has been mainly about working as a health care provider to keep him healthy. All that’s left is Joe Adell As a starting center fielder, he had -13 DRS in 724 innings. Blaise Teodosio 7 DRS in 406 innings was much better, but like Rojas with the Phillies, Teodosio was an offensive black hole, posting a 51 wRC+ in 150 innings. Overall, the Angels have a defensive outfield rating of -27 DRS, which ranks second among major league clubs behind only the Rockies. Signing Bader would help that department a lot, and the $26MM number isn’t going to break the bank for owner Arte Moreno by any means.
giants
The Giants have Li Zhenghou Signed until 2029 (although he can opt out after 2027). While he was slightly above average offensively this year with a 107 wRC+ in 150 plate appearances, his DRS was -18, last among qualified center fielders. Statcast has his range at 11% but arm strength at 91%, so he might be a better fit in right field than center. Overall, the Giants’ outfield defense isn’t much better than the Angels’, who have a combined -21 DRS this season. Mike Yastrzemski Once their best defensive outfielder, he was traded to the Royals at the deadline. Since San Francisco has signed expensive contracts Raphael Devers, Willie Adams, Matt ChapmanAs well as Lee himself, signing Bader could be a low-cost option for a strong defense and a good enough offense.
oriole
Cedric Mullins Had a well below average defense in 2025 and was traded to the Mets at the deadline. Colton Cowser and Dylan Carlson They had some production at center after that trade, but they were hardly the difference-makers. prospect Dylan Beavers Debutting in 2025 but playing only corner, their next closest outfield prospect, Enrique Bradfield Jr. was considered a good defender but had an underdeveloped bat. Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias said the club will aggressively pursue upgrades, with RosterResource giving them $68MM in salary space before they match 2025 expenses. Bader would greatly improve the defense while still leaving room for pitching upgrades.
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