Oct 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Harrison Bader before game one of the NLDS round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
The Phillies don't yet know if Harrison Bader will be a factor in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the worst-case scenario has been averted.
Rob Thomson revealed on a Zoom session Sunday morning that imaging on the left groin tightness that caused Bader to leave the Game 1 loss early revealed "no major tear or strain."
Bader will get additional treatment this afternoon, and the Phillies will know more about his availability for Game 2 on Monday, be it as a starting outfielder or pinch-hit option.
"I think after the game they stretched him out, they got him moving around a little bit, and I think he felt a lot better after that," Thomson said.
Bader first noticed the tightness running between first and second base on Bryson Stott's single in the bottom of the fifth inning.
After the 5-3 loss, Bader was optimistic about his chances to return during this series, and adamant that if there was a way for him to play, he was going to do it.
"I definitely feel like I'll be able to come back, for sure," Bader said. "We have an off day tomorrow. And we'll just get some imaging done and go from there. But this is kinda the point in the season where you just empty the tank.
"And I can assure you, I don't know how you guys are taking my reaction to this, obviously it's downplayed to the extent that whatever's going on, it is what it is. But in terms of my willingness to go out there and just completely empty the tank and give every last ounce of what I've got for this team and for the baseball I have ahead of me, it's absolutely something I'm going to do. So if there's an absolute chance in hell, you better believe I'm going to be in there."
Harrison Bader said he’s confident he’ll return during this series.
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/P0l5kEPeoj
Bader has been a spark plug for the Phillies since they acquired him from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline. That was no different in Game 1, when he delivered both a sacrifice fly and made a tremendous diving catch in right-center field to rob Andy Pages of a hit in the top of the fifth inning.
With lefty Blake Snell slated to take the ball for the Dodgers in Game 2, the Phillies would obviously prefer to have the right-handed hitting Bader in center field, as opposed to Brandon Marsh, who rarely starts against southpaws.
