Giants and outfielder Harrison Bader agree to $20.5 million, 2-year contract, AP source says

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Giants and outfielder Harrison Bader agree to $20.5 million, 2-year contract, AP source says

2026-01-27 12:12 Last Updated At：12:20

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Free agent outfielder Harrison Bader and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $20.5 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

Bader confirmed the agreement on “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman," a New York Post podcast. Bader shared how he came up with San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman in the Texas League and also faced Willy Adames in the NL Central when the shortstop was with the Brewers and Bader was on the Cardinals.

“Well first and foremost, the opportunity, there's no doubt about it,” Bader said of choosing the Giants. “All you can do in this game is just work to set yourself up for the best opportunity possible, and I've always wanted to play as many games, have as many at-bats as possible, be on a winning team. The Giants could not be a more perfect fit for me. I'm just very excited. I love playing with superstars and a lot of really, really talented players.”

The 31-year-old Bader batted .277 with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .796 OPS in 146 combined games with Minnesota and Philadelphia last season — setting career highs in all those categories.

He was especially productive for the Phillies after they acquired him at the July 31 trade deadline, hitting .305 with an .824 OPS in 50 games for the NL East champions.

Bader, a Gold Glove center fielder with St. Louis in 2021, played all three outfield spots for the Twins last season. Philadelphia used him strictly in center, where he has spent most of his career.

Adding an outfielder was a priority for the Giants, who upgraded their rotation this offseason by signing right-hander Adrian Houser to a $22 million, two-year contract that includes a 2028 club option, and right-hander Tyler Mahle to a $10 million, one-year deal. The team also gave reliever Jason Foley a $2 million, one-year contract.

A right-handed batter, Bader is a .247 career hitter with 88 homers, 322 RBIs, 105 stolen bases and a .714 OPS in nine major league seasons with the Cardinals, Yankees, Reds, Mets, Twins and Phillies.

Bader likes the new direction of the Giants, now led by former catcher Buster Posey as president of baseball operations and general manager Zack Minasian — who hired former Tennessee coach Tony Vitello as manager to replace Bob Melvin following a fourth straight year out of the playoffs.

“It's a fresh front office, it's obviously a fresh coaching staff, some SEC ties in Tony Vitello,” said Bader, who played college baseball in the Southeastern Conference at Florida. “So it's always good to be in a new place but have familiar faces. ... I'm just really, really happy it worked out because it's very rare in this game that things work out pretty perfectly.”

AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

Islanders acquire Carson Soucy in a rare trade with the Rangers

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers’ sell-off that general manger Chris Drury warned fans would be coming as part of a retooling process is now underway.

They traded defenseman Carson Soucy to the crosstown-rival New York Islanders on Monday in exchange for a third-round pick in this year’s draft. None of Soucy’s $3.25 million salary was retained.

It is just the fourth between the teams and first since 2010.

The Islanders have been looking for a left-shooting defenseman since Alexander Romanov injured his right shoulder and had surgery in November, sidelining him for five to six months. That timeline means Romanov could return at some point after the playoffs begin in mid-April.

Soucy, 31, is a pending unrestricted free agent and would be a rental addition for the Islanders, who have shifted into contending mode in GM Mathieu Darche’s first season in charge. No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer emerging as a young star and the rookie of the year front-runner raised the organization’s expectations, and making the playoffs in a wide-open Eastern Conference is now a realistic expectation.

The opposite is the case for the Rangers, who are now surprise sellers. Underachieving in Mike Sullivan’s first season as coach prompted a change of course for Drury, who got a multiyear contract extension from owner James Dolan in April and is getting the chance to fix a flawed roster.

In a letter to fans posted on social media Jan. 16, Drury said the team would not stand pat and that “a shift will give us the ability to be smart and opportunistic as we retool as a team.”

“This will not be a rebuild,” Drury said. “This will be a retool built around our core players and prospects. We will target players that bring tenacity, skill, speed, and a winning pedigree with a focus obtaining young players, draft picks, and cap space to allow us flexibility moving forward.”

Artemi Panarin, the team’s leading scorer every season since signing an $81.5 million contract in 2019, like Soucy is set to be a free agent and could be the best player moved before the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline. Panarin is 34, counts $11.6 million against the cap and has a full no-movement clause, which allows him control over where he goes.

Just about everyone in the organization, aside from franchise goaltender Igor Shesterkin, top defenseman Adam Fox and prospect Gabe Perreault, figures to be available at the right price.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl