Harrison Bader is reportedly expecting a 3-year deal

Harrison Bader is reportedly looking for longevity in his next contract.

When discussing the Kansas City Royals and their strategy to upgrade their outfield, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Sunday that the Royals are not pursuing the most pricey options in Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker. According to Rosenthal, Kansas City "might also be priced out of the top player on the next tier of free agents, Harrison Bader, who is said to be expecting a three-year deal."

2025 was a contract year for Bader, and the outfielder certainly played like he wanted a bag. During his split season with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, his .277 batting average, .796 OPS and 17 home runs were all career highs.

Although Philadelphia was Bader's sixth team in four seasons, he made his mark and solidified Philly's nebulous center field situation. In 50 games, Bader tallied 54 hits and slashed .305/.361/.463. His effortless brand of '90s swagger wholly endeared himself to the fanbase, and his mid-season arrival reinvigorated the Phillies' clubhouse.  

Following his career-best season, Bader, who will turn 32 next June, is looking to cash in, and that's not a surprise. It makes sense that he would want some stability after constantly being a trade piece, which led to his aforementioned six squads in four seasons. 

In November, Dave Dombrowski confirmed during the Las Vegas GM meetings that the Phillies are interested in bringing Bader back. He also acknowledged that Bader's camp will want to see what's out there, and it sounds like that's what they're doing.

If Bader wants a three-year contract, then the Phillies will be forced to consider the Justin Crawford dilemma. Bader played an excellent center field in Philly, but Dombrowski said in October that Crawford will contend for the Phillies' starting center field position in Spring Training. Bringing Bader back doesn't make much sense if the Phillies have a major league-ready center fielder waiting in the wings.

Speaking of Phillies outfield news, Rosenthal also mentioned that the Royals could pursue Max Kepler to fill an outfield position. Unlike Bader, who overperformed in 2025, Kepler underperformed with the Phillies, posting a career-low 88 OPS+. In the same October discussion about Crawford's anticipated major league debut, Dombrowski essentially confirmed that Kepler won't return. However, Kepler, who will be 33 on Opening Day, is receiving interest from other clubs and will look to find a home so he can bounce back in 2026.

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