The San Francisco Giants have signed outfielder Harrison Bader to a two-year contract, strengthening their defense with a Gold Glove-caliber player.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman’s report today, outfielder Harrison Bader has agreed to a two-year deal worth $20.5 million with the San Francisco Giants, pending a physical. This Gold Glove winner’s addition is expected to significantly improve the Giants’ outfield defense, which ranked last in the league last year.

Since joining the Giants in December 2023 on a six-year, $113 million contract, Jung Hoo Lee has been the team’s primary center fielder. With Bader’s arrival, Lee is expected to shift to a corner outfield position. From 2018 to the present, Bader has accumulated 76 Outs Above Average (OAA), far surpassing all other outfielders; the closest being Toronto Blue Jays’ outfielder Daulton Varsho with 55 during the same period.

In the 2025 season, the Giants’ outfield defense posted an OAA of -18, tying for the worst in the league, mainly due to defensive struggles from Jung Hoo Lee (-5 OAA) and left fielder Heliot Ramos (-9 OAA). Bader’s addition will expand the outfield’s defensive range and provide stronger support for the pitching staff in the 2026 season.

At a Giants fan event in San Ramon last Sunday, Jung Hoo Lee said through a translator, “Without a doubt, I want to improve defensively. I focused heavily on outfield defense during the offseason training, I’m pleased with my progress, and I’m excited for the new season.”

This marks Bader’s third consecutive offseason as a free agent, but he just completed the best season of his career. At 31 years old, he nearly set personal bests offensively: 501 plate appearances, 17 home runs, a .347 on-base percentage, a .796 slugging percentage, and a 117 OPS+. According to Baseball-Reference, he also matched his 2021 career-high with 4.0 Wins Above Replacement (WAR), achieving this milestone for the second time.

Last year, Bader first signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Twins that included a mutual option for 2026 (which he later declined), then was traded midseason to the Philadelphia Phillies. After joining Philadelphia, he elevated his performance, playing 50 games for the National League East champions, hitting .305/.361/.463 with 5 home runs and 16 RBIs. His energetic playing style became a catalyst for the team.

Although a hamstring injury forced Bader to exit early in the first game of the National League Division Series and limited him to a bench role in the following games, he still showed excellent outfield defense throughout the season. According to Statcast, he recorded 7 Outs Above Average, ranking tied for 18th among all outfielders. His sprint speed surpasses 85% of players, potentially adding a real threat to the Giants’ base-stealing, which was lacking in recent years (only 68 steals in 2025, 29th in the league).

Besides Bader, the Giants also bolstered their roster during the offseason by acquiring starting pitchers Adrian Houser and Tyler Mahle, relievers Sam Hentges and Jason Foley, and catcher Daniel Susac via the Rule 5 Draft. The team is also actively seeking upgrades at second base, with trade rumors linking them to Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals, Nico Hoerner of the Cubs, and CJ Abrams of the Nationals.