Giants Center Fielder Harrison Bader Suffers Another Injury
San Francisco Giants center fielder Harrison Bader, who has been on the injured list since May 30 due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot, suffered another injury in a scooter incident. The team announced earlier this week that Bader further injured the same foot in the accident, which has delayed his treatment timeline for plantar fasciitis and, unfortunately, his return to the field.
Giants president Buster Posey released a statement on Friday, explaining the situation. ‘Over the weekend, Harrison Bader was involved in an accident that has delayed Harrison’s prior treatment timeline for plantar fasciitis and, unfortunately, his return to the field,’ Posey said. ‘We are still investigating the circumstances of the accident, but will be suspending payment to Harrison until he is able to resume performing services for the club.’
The team did not specify the nature of Bader’s incident, but sources told SFist that Bader’s scooter crashed into the back of a San Francisco Fire Department fire engine just before 2 a.m. on July 26. The wheel of the fire truck then rolled over his foot, causing major injury. A person was taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
Bader was previously suspended from the University of Florida baseball team in 2014 over a scooter accident while he was a sophomore, according to the Gainesville Sun. This latest incident raises concerns about Bader’s safety and the team’s decision to allow him to use a scooter.
In 30 games for the Giants this season, Bader hit .170/.198/.358 with five homers and 14 RBI. Despite his limited playing time, he could have had some trade value if he were ready to return anytime soon. Bader was a productive deadline addition for the 2022 Yankees and 2025 Phillies, both playoff teams. In fact, he was worth 1.3 WAR in just 50 games for the Phillies last season.
Bader is currently in the first year of a two-year, $20.5 million deal with the Giants. The team’s decision to suspend his pay may be a result of his prolonged absence from the team and the potential impact on his trade value.
The investigation into Bader’s accident is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how this incident will affect his playing career and the team’s decision-making process. The Giants will continue to monitor the situation and make decisions based on Bader’s ability to perform services for the club.
