In one of the most controversial deadline deals, the New York Yankees dealt Jordan Montgomery, a dependable starter, to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for center fielder Harrison Bader.
The problem is that Bader wasn’t healthy at the time, and is still out: he is rehabbing a case of plantar fasciitis.
However, recent reports indicate that he is moving in the right direction with a September debut in mind.
“CF Harrison Bader is moving closer to his #Yankees debut,” MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch stated via Twitter in the last few hours.
CF Harrison Bader is moving closer to his #Yankees debut: https://t.co/5hREI8zvdS
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) September 5, 2022
After the Yankees’ victory on Monday against the Minnesota Twins, manager Aaron Boone said that Bader would do a “full ramp up” on Monday.
The skipper also said that the elite defensive center fielder would start a rehab assignment no later than September 13.
Bader Will Be Back Before The End Of The Regular Season
That’s a week from now, so yes: Yankees fans will finally get to see Bader on the field relatively soon.
He has been out for a while, so his rehab assignment could be rather long.
However, he should be back with the team before the end of the month, as he auditions for a prominent role in the postseason.
When he is fully healthy, Bader is a slightly above-average bat (think of a wRC+ in the 110 range) with some power and speed.
His best and most impressive trait, however, is his game-changing defense in center.
In a time in which hitters are aiming to hit the ball in the air, center field defense becomes awfully important, and Bader is an asset out there.
If he is truly healthy in September and shows it on the field, he should be the Yankees’ starting center fielder in the postseason, and there shouldn’t really be a debate about it.
