DEAL: Mets signing ex-Yankee Harrison Bader to $10.5 …..
Harrison Bader is coming back to New York, just not the Yankees.
The Mets and Bader agreed to a one-year, $10.5 million contract on Thursday, The Post’s Joel Sherman reported.
Bader, the 29-year-old Bronxville product, offers premium defense in center field, which could allow the Mets to move Brandon Nimmo to a corner at times to maximize their outfield alignment.
Though Bader struggled to stay healthy as a Yankee — missing time over the past two seasons with plantar fasciitis, an oblique strain and a hamstring strain — he has proven to be one of the best defensive center fielders in the game.
The 2021 Gold Glove winner should help with David Stearns’ stated goal of improving the Mets’ run prevention.
Stearns said last month at the winter meetings that the team had talked to Nimmo about potentially playing more in a corner-outfield spot, and the veteran was willing to do what was best for the Mets.
Stearns stated in December, “We’ve had conversations about it, and I think Brandon is of the mind that whatever he can do to help us win, he wants to do.” Thus in the event that there are program developments, setup developments where there are times he’s not in focus field and it will allow us a superior opportunity to win, he’s available to it.”
Last season, Bader recorded nine Outs Better than expected (by means of Baseball Academic), which positioned seventh among qualified focus defenders.
Nimmo had zero, placing him third lowest, despite having six OAA in 2022. In order to assist him in managing a late-season quad injury, he started 126 games in center field and nine in left field last season.
The Mets could utilize both Nimmo and Bader in focus field, with the right-given hitting Bader opening in dominatingly against left-gave pitchers and the left-given hitting Nimmo moving to a corner on those days.
Bader had 344 plate appearances last season and hit just.232 with an.622 OPS. However, in 97 plate appearances against lefties, he hit.299 with a.936 OPS.
Bader streaked his hostile potential gain in the 2022 end of the season games when he squashed five grand slams in nine games for the Yankees.
Recently obtained Met Harrison Bader in his seats during the main time frame when the New York Officers played the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bader had a delayed start to his 2023 season because of an oblique strain he suffered in spring training. He started the year off well, but he started to lose steam in the summer, which caused the Yankees to put him on waivers in late August.
The Reds acquired him, but his slump continued in September.
New administrator Carlos Mendoza, who saw Bader’s first class safeguard during his experience as Yankees seat mentor, will presently have a lot of adaptability with his outfield.
The gathering incorporates Nimmo, Bader, Starling Marte, Tyrone Taylor, Jeff McNeil (who is supposed to see additional time at a respectable halfway point) and DJ Stewart. Taylor, one more better than expected protective outfielder who the Mets obtained from the Brewers last month, can play each of the three spots.
Marte, who is coming off of a bad year in which he played in 86 games with a recurring groin injury and posted a career-low OPS (.625), may benefit from the depth.
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Stearns has followed through on his promise to improve the Mets’ defense by signing Bader, Taylor, and veteran infielder Joey Wendle.
Bader and his college teammate Pete Alonso, who played together at the University of Florida from 2014 to 2015, are also reunited as part of the agreement.
“The diesel brothers are back baby!!!” Alonso composed on Instagram with pictures of him and Bader from school. ” Greetings from the orange and blue!
Bader — who got the very contract that the Blue Jays gave Gold Glove place defender Kevin Kiermaier last week — turns into the second ex-Yankee to sign with the Mets this offseason, after Luis Severino handled a one-year, $13 million agreement in November.
