Again, Harrison Bader shows why the Yankees should try to bring him back as a free agent after 2023. The sides postponed talks for the time being, but the Yankees entered Thursday after going 15-6 since Bader’s return after starting 2023 with a 15-15 record.
Bader is one of the best defensive midfielders in MLB and an extreme clutch (.833 slugging percentage in the 2022 playoffs) and improving batsman.
He told me “it’s not up to me,” or words to that effect when I pointed out that the Yankees should renew him. But here’s my guess: As a native New Yorker, Upper East Side native, and lifelong Yankees fan who loves the spotlight, he’d love to stay.
Brandon Nimmo ($162 million, eight years) is more consistent offensively, but there just aren’t any great midfielders to damage at bat.
Rumor has it that the Rockies could be interested in hiring former Royals president Dayton Moore in a senior position, but probably not as general manager, as property is believed to support Bill Schmidt. (For the record, Moore said he hadn’t heard that. Now he does.)
Moore, a rare little GM to win a World Series, was shockingly let go by new Royals owner John Sherman. (It is believed that Moore’s scouting background was not what Sherman wanted. Like many owners, he seeks even more analysis.)
Former Brewers GM David Stearns, who follows the misplaced Josh Hader trade throughout the year, though he did an excellent job overall, is rumored to be a potential candidate for a top Boston job if the Red Sox falter. A native of New York, Stearns has of course also been associated with the Mets, but probably as an add-on. GM Billy Eppler is highly regarded and close to Stearns.
The Phillies are a potential match for first baseman Eric Hosmer, although Darick Hall is pretty close. It doesn’t seem worth risking Bryce Harper in the first seven months after Tommy John’s surgery.
Despite all the criticism of the Padres’ Juan Soto, he has a 154 OPS plus, just two points off his career mark of 156 (which is one point higher than Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Joe DiMaggio).
St. Louis has hitters aplenty and rivals believe Tyler O’Neill could be available.
Julio Urias has started catch, but it could be another three to four weeks before he returns to the Dodgers. The southpaw is such a gamer, pitching last week against the Cardinals at less than 100 percent, an error.
Walker Buehler hopes to return to the Dodgers in September, but not necessarily as a starter.
The White Sox’s Liam Hendriks, cancer-free after battling stage 4 lymphoma, is scheduled to pitch again Friday and could be activated soon. Good story!
