On November 4, Todd Zolecki (MLB.com) reported that Harrison Bader is now going to become a free agent. With Bader on the open market, the Tampa Bay Rays need to pursue him in hopes that they can turn their roster around.
Now the Tampa Bay Rays just had one of their worst seasons in quite some time. The Rays just won 77 games, and the last time they had dropped below that mark (excluding 2020) was in 2007.
It’s not as if the Rays have an awful roster, there’s just a lack of big time players. With that being the case, it seems evident what the Rays need to do in MLB free agency.
It was just in 2023 when the Rays won 99 games. Although signing Bader may not automatically allow the Rays to make that drastic of a jump, he could be an important move in helping them get back to the playoffs.
This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT.
More MLB Content From TWSN:
Seattle Mariners Sign Pete Alonso
Baltimore Orioles To Sign Shota Imanaga
Bo Bichette Will Sign With Atlanta Braves
Harrison Bader Joining Tampa Bay Rays in MLB Free Agency
At 31 years old, Bader is one of the better free agents on the market. Last year, Bader had a 3.9 WAR, 17 home runs, and a 0.277 batting average.
In fact, Bader didn’t actually spend his full 2025 season in one place. Bader started the year with the Minnesota Twins but was actually traded to the Philadelphia Phillies.
All that’s to say that Bader has spent his MLB career on a number of different teams, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he found a new home once again. To be exact, Bader has now played for six different teams.
Now the basic stats don’t tell the full story for Bader either. Last year, Bader posted some very impressive Baseball Savant numbers that indicate he’s going to have another great year in 2026.
Bader was in the 68th percentile for his Batting Run Value, but more importantly, he was in the 81st percentile for Fielding Run Value. Now that shouldn’t shock anyone, as Bader has been one of the better defensive outfielders in baseball for quite some time.
Last season, Bader had a Fielding Run Value mark of five, and the year before that, it was nine. In fact, Bader has never had that mark go below three in his MLB career.
How Harrison Bader Fits with the Tampa Bay Rays
According to Fangraphs, Jonny DeLuca is expected to be the team’s starting center fielder in 2026. DeLuca isn’t bad, but this is a spot that the Rays can definitely upgrade.
Last year, DeLuca had a strong season in 57 at-bats, but his 2024 season is more telling. In 2024, DeLuca had six home runs and a 0.217 batting average in 332 at-bats.
If you want to argue that the 27-year-old should be in the lineup, he could take over for Josh Lowe. In the past, Lowe has been great, but the decline is here.
In 2025, Lowe had a 0.220 batting average, seventh percentile Batting Run Value mark, he was in the 17th percentile for his Fielding Run Value, but the 76th for his Baserunning Run Value.
Harrison Bader Stats
We’ve discussed a number of Bader’s stats above, but here are a few more worth mentioning. In 2025, Bader had a 0.347 OBP mark, 0.449 SLG, and a 0.796 OPS.
With the Tampa Bay Rays looking to turn their roster around, they should seriously look into signing Harrison Bader in MLB Free Agency.
