PHILADELPHIA — Harrison Bader stood in front of his locker Wednesday and smiled as reporters asked whether he knew he was hitting leadoff again. The Gold Glove outfielder has become more than a platoon bat since arriving at the trade deadline; he has turned into a catalyst for a lineup missing National League batting leader Trea Turner.
A day earlier, the right-handed Bader had three hits, including a solo homer, from the leadoff spot when the New York Mets started southpaw Sean Manaea. Manager Rob Thomson had said, “Oh, I don’t think I’d do it against right-handers,” but that’s exactly what he did in Wednesday’s third installment of this four-game series.
“I don’t think I committed one way or the other,” Thomson said Wednesday. “I said day-to-day, and that’s what it is. He had a big night last night, so let’s run it back through again.”
Bader went on to open the bottom of the first against Mets righty Clay Holmes with a base hit and later scored. He followed up with a double to left in the second.
The Phillies expected to lean on Turner, who led the league in batting before straining his hamstring on Sunday. When he landed on the injured list, Thomson tried Bryce Harper at leadoff. Harper went 0‑for‑4 in a 1-0 Phillies win. Bader was 3-for-5 from the No. 5 spot with righty Nolan McLean starting for New York.
Even though Thomson may have preferred not to hit Bader leadoff, back‑to‑back three‑hit games made the decision hard to pass up. The Phillies’ depth allowed Thomson to platoon Nick Castellanos and Max Kepler in right field, but Bader’s surge meant he was penciled into the top of the lineup regardless of matchup.
Since coming from Minnesota July 31, Bader has done much more than plug a hole in center field. In 33 games as a Phillie through Sept. 9, he slashed .333/.398/.533 with four homers and 13 RBIs, good for a .932 OPS.
The combination of Bader, Brandon Marsh, Kepler, Castellanos and Weston Wilson produced a .278/.330/.470 line (.800 OPS) with 25 doubles, two triples, 17 homers and 51 RBIs in the 37 games since he joined the club
Bader’s own hot streak has been startling. Over his last 17 games through Sept. 9, he recorded seven three‑hit games and went 26‑for‑59 (.441) with a 1.213 OPS. Those numbers convinced Thomson to keep him in the leadoff spot, at least temporarily.
Bader’s success isn’t limited to conventional statistics. His OPS+ with Philadelphia sits at 153 according to The Sporting News, meaning he has been 53 percent better than league average since the trade. Bader also expressed gratitude to the Twins for trading him, saying he is thankful to play meaningful games in a pennant race.
Plus, he has fit right in with this bunch of Phillies.
“He works hard, and he’s improved his offensive game,” Thomson said. “But I think he’s good at involving his clubhouse because he’s a really good personality. He’s got a lot of energy. I think that fits perfectly with the way he’s going. … He fits perfectly with the group we’ve got.”
Source: Berkshire mont