SF Giants have a financial motive to retain Harrison Bader for now

Harrison Bader has likely played his last game for the SF Giants, so why not cut bait now? Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic explains that if they cut him now, then they are on the hook for the remainder of his two-year, $20.5 million pact, but if the season is shortened or canceled, then they would owe much less.

On Tuesday, Buster Posey told Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News that Harrison Bader will be on the Giants roster, given that he is under contract through 2027. The statement did not ooze with confidence, but that is what they have to say publicly.

It is like when you steal a cookie out of the cookie jar, and your parents get mad when they come home to see an empty cookie jar. You see how angry they already are, so you blame it on the dog, the neighbor, or the government. You lie.

This feels a lot like that. The Giants say one thing, but their actions will speak louder. Baggarly did not mince words, "Clearly, they want no part of him [Bader]." That is likely an informed opinion after speaking with members of the organization, but for now, they will say he is on the roster next year.

Harrison Bader's projected role for the 2027 SF Giants has already diminished considerably

They could just cut ties now, but that does not make financial sense. If the season is consolidated in any way, then clubs owe a pro-rated amount of the original contract to players on the roster. In Bader's case, if half of the season is canceled, then they would only be on the hook for $5.1 million. That sounds a lot better than $10.2 million.

However, if they cut him today, then they owe Bader the remainder of his contract, even if they only play half of the games next season. The Giants are a sports team, but they are still a business. It does not make sense for a business to throw away money like that.

More than likely, the Giants will look to find a trade partner once the new CBA is ratified, even if they have to assume a portion of his deal to facilitate a trade. If not, they can cut ties.

Plus, it is impossible to ignore that Bader's role with the club for 2027 has seemingly diminished. They brought him in as a glove-first center fielder, and while outfield defense remained a problem in 2026, that was not the case for center field. Drew Gilbert and Jonah Cox filled in nicely, and there is little reason to play Bader over either of those two options.

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