The Philadelphia Phillies have had a rough week.

The NL East Arms Race: Mets Loading Up

First, they lost out on infielder Bo Bichette to their NL East rival, the New York Mets. Later, the Mets added centerfielder Luis Robert Jr. and pitcher Freddy Peralta to their roster, while the Phillies stayed pretty much the same, bringing back catcher JT Realmuto.

As the free agent pool is starting to dry up, one name that is still available is outfielder Harrison Bader.  Bader came over to the Phillies in a trade deadline deal with the Minnesota Twins and excelled during his time in Philadelphia, with the lone blemish being his hamstring injury during the playoff series with the Dodgers.

Analyzing Bader’s Impressive 50-Game Stretch

After coming over to Philadelphia, Bader slashed .305/.361/.463 with five homers and 16 RBI in 50 games.

Contrary to what the Phillies have said, the team seems to be running it back, with Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto back in the mix. What about bringing back Bader, too?

“A reunion with the Phillies can’t be ruled out, though that seems like a long shot at this point,” writes MLB.com writer Mark Feinsand. 

Navigating the Outfield Logjam

If Bader were to return, he would give the Phillies a solid everyday option in center, moving Justin Crawford to left field and potentially moving BrandonMarsh over to right to platoon with Adolis Garcia.  The issue there could be that Garcia, who was signed to a one-year, $10 million contract, could have been promised playing every day to sign with the Phillies. Last season, the Phillies signed Max Kepler, who, after a slow start, began to be a part of a platoon in left field, which caused him to voice his displeasure. He then moved to right field and was part of a platoon with Nick Castellanos, who isn’t expected to be back with the team this season.

Potential Suitors: Who Else is Chasing Bader?

Feinsand lists the Mets, Diamondbacks, and Cardinals as other possible suitors for Bader.

Would you like to see the Phillies bring back Bader?  Let us know on the free mobile app.

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