The New York Yankees could be in the market for a new outfielder.
Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham are free agents, and if one or both leave, the Yankees may look at the free agent market to replace them. The free agent market has several impact outfielders, and MLB insider Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report links the Yankees to a reunion with Harrison Bader.
“Not only did he post a career-high .796 OPS in 2025, but he remains a tremendous defender,” Kelly wrote. “Bader was primarily a left fielder for the Twins, posting seven defensive runs saved and three outs above average in 496 innings at that spot. He shifted back to center on a full-time basis with the Phillies, finishing the year with six DRS and three OAA in 568.2 center field innings. You can bet the team that submits the winning offer for Bader this offseason will view him as a center fielder.
“Because teams are so desperate for center field help, it’s not out of the question that Bader gets three years. A return to the Phillies would make sense. He’s already played for both New York teams, but there are scenarios in which both the Mets and Yankees could make sense for him as well.”
If Grisham walks, Bader could be the perfect replacement for him, as his bat would fit nicely in the Bronx, while he plays well defensively.
Bader played for the Yankees in parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. With New York, he hit .237 with 7 home runs and 46 RBIs in 98 games.
What Will Bader Get in Free Agency?
Bader is a solid outfielder who several teams will be interested in.
He will turn 32 midway through the 2026 MLB season, which should allow him to get a multi-year deal in free agency, especially if he has multiple teams after him.
MLBTradeRumors ranks Bader as the 31st-best free agent available and projects he will sign a two-year, $26 million deal.
“Interested clubs can probably expect average offense, good speed and strong defense from Bader. For a 31-year-old (32 in June) who’s entering a bleak market for center fielders, that should be enough to get him a multi-year deal this time around,” the article read.
“Glove-first outfielders with volatile offensive performances typically don’t break the bank in free agency — just ask Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kevin Kiermaier. But Bader has likely shown enough to get a multi-year contract — likely a two-year deal with an outside chance of three.”
Bader won the Gold Glove Award in 2021 and would add some much-needed fielding help to the Yankees. His bat has also improved, and he can provide more contact to the lineup.
Yankees Open to Bellinger and Grisham Returning
New York’s interest in outfielders is due to the fact that it could lose Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham in free agency.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has made it clear the team would like to bring back Bellinger.
“We’re very interested in bringing him back,” Cashman said of Bellinger. “He’s going to have a lot of choices because he can do a lot of different things. He was a terrific addition for us last year. … Certainly would love to have him come back to us. We’d be better served if we could retain him. But if not, we’ll have to look at alternative ways to fill it and see where that takes us.”
Cashman, meanwhile, also said he would be happy if Grisham accepted the qualifying offer to return to the team.
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