The Philadelphia Phillies are entering the offseason with a sudden hole in center field after Harrison Bader officially opted out of his 2026 contract Tuesday afternoon. The 31-year-old outfielder declined his $10 million mutual option, electing to become a free agent following a productive bounce-back campaign that boosted his market value.

The club’s front office had anticipated this outcome for weeks, recognizing that Bader’s consistency in center field and renewed offensive impact would make him one of the most appealing free-agent outfielders available this winter.

The Talkin’ Baseball podcast posted on its official X account (formerly known as Twitter), sharing that the veteran outfielder had opted out of his deal and would now test the open market after another productive se

See Full Page