Harrison Bader is an incredible defensive outfielder who can make a big difference with his glove. His work in center field will have an impact on any team’s ability to prevent runs.

According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Mets have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the former Yankee, making him an intelligent addition.

Defense is something that David Stearns, the new baseball manager, has made very clear, and this is a solid up-the-middle addition for a team that is still struggling to find enough pitching to have any chance of competing in the brutal National League.

The Mets can move Brandon Nimmo to left field, at least occasionally, thanks to Bader’s flexibility. He also provides a kind of insurance for right field, where 35-year-old Starling Marte is trying to get back from a season marred by injuries.

Everything is OK in a vacuum, right? The Mets signed a proven defensive star because they needed to strengthen their defense after their 2023 glove story. Is it the case that any team makes its offseason decisions in a vacuum, particularly when it still needs to add hitting and pitching support?

Regardless of their projected schedules and windows for success, the Mets’ entire offseason runs the risk of feeling lackluster if there’s no imminent move to provide genuine thump to a lineup that desperately needs it.

A team that averaged just 4.43 runs per game in 2023 (the MLB average was 4.62) does not exactly need Bader as a threat. The Mets ranked twenty-ninth in runs scored, twenty-first in on-base percentage, twenty-sixth in batting average, and eighteenth in slugging and OPS.

Between the Yankees and Reds in 98 games played last season, Bader’s numbers were.232,.274 on-base percentage,.348 slugging percentage, and.622 OPS. He stole 20 bases and hit seven home runs. Bader has a slash line of.243/.310/.396 and an OPS of.706 during his seven-year career.

Yes, he has displayed offensive flashes, so perhaps there is more. A different organization’s scout described Bader as “still young with interesting tools.”

Despite playing in just 103 games in 2021, he had a.785 OPS and 16 home runs. In nine postseason games in 2022, he hit.333 and blasted five home runs, igniting the hopes of Yankee fans. With five home runs and a.880 OPS through the first 20 games of 2023, he also had a quick start for the Yanks.

However, the Mets should add a slugger to the lineup, like Jorge Soler or J.D. Martinez, to act as their primary designated hitter. Alternatively, add Justin Turner, who could provide pop at DH and maybe extra insurance at third base once a week or so.

Bader, who turns 30 in June, has also struggled in previous seasons to maintain his health. He’s only participated in 287 of the 486 regular season games that have been played over the last three years. That only accounts for 59%. He must play if his defensive value is to be realized.

Upon doing so, he truly makes an impact. According to MLB’s Statcast, Bader has the third-highest number of Outs Above Average among outfielders since 2020, only surpassed by Trent Grisham and Michael A. Taylor. That’s critical for a team that, according to the Fielding Bible, finished 25th in MLB last year with minus-25 Defensive Runs Saved overall.

Nimmo isn’t quite as good as Bader in center field, despite his impressive transition. Nimmo may avoid some of the wear and tear of playing center, the most demanding outfield position, depending on how much time he spends in either outfield corner. Perhaps that strengthens Nimmo’s offense, which is his true strength.

Bader gives the Mets an outstanding outfield glove, regardless of how new manager Carlos Mendoza and the team decide to divide up the playing time. Since Bader will be living in Queens with Pete Alonso, his former Florida college teammate, there’s a pleasant reunion vibe. Since it’s only for a year, nothing about it would change the long-term payroll ideas.

Signing Bader is a good move in and of itself. It gets even more endearing if the Mets make the correct decision and bolster their offense as well.

 

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