The Philadelphia Phillies entered the trade deadline needing outfield help and brought in Harrison Bader to fill the gap. But that move was only temporary. After turning down his mutual option, Bader is now on the open market. While a return to Philadelphia is possible, many teams could benefit from his strong defense and the best offensive season of his career.
Andrew Tredinnick of NorthJersey.com projects Bader to leave the Phillies and sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He noted that L.A. has an opening in its outfield, and moving Bader to left field might help extend his career. The Dodgers have few weaknesses, but their last outfield spot remains unsettled. Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages are expected to hold two starting roles, with Pages coming off an impressive second season despite a slow finish.
Though the Dodgers could still pursue a star like Kyle Tucker even with their large payroll—given how aggressively they spent last offseason—Bader offers a more affordable alternative. The Gold Glove outfielder hit .277/.347/.449 with a personal-best 17 homers and a .796 OPS last year. He was also a major contributor in Philadelphia, hitting .305/.361/.463 over 50 games. Pairing him with Pages and Hernández could give the Dodgers a strong outfield as they push for a third straight championship.