Twins Video
It's been a busy week for a very specific free-agent market: right-handed swinging outfielders who are fringe starters and more likely destined for backup/platoon roles. Ramón Laureano opened the floodgates by agreeing with the Orioles on a deal Tuesday afternoon. A couple hours later, we learned Randal Grichuk will be returning to the Diamondbacks. On Wednesday the Twins came to terms with Harrison Bader and on Thursday morning Tommy Pham's contract with the Pirates was reported.
What's interesting is not only how close these signings were in proximity but also how similar the terms were on all the them:
- Tommy Pham, PIT: 1 year, $4 million
- Ramon Laureano, BAL: 1 year, $4 million
- Randal Grichuk, ARI: 1 year, $5 million (mutual option)
- Harrison Bader, MIN: 1 year, $6.25 million (mutual option, $2M incentives)
Yes, you read that right: in this niche pocket of free agency, the Twins were the big spenders. While all four players project to provide similar value — albeit in different ways — Minnesota had a preference and spent what it took to get their guy. Based on their surprising willingness to commit up to $8 million in addressing this need, the Twins seemingly could had their pick of the bunch. What led them to choose Bader?
Let's first quickly explore the strengths and weaknesses of all four players to establish what they stand to offer to the Twins.
Harrison Bader
Pros:
- Elite Defense: Bader is renowned for his exceptional defensive abilities in center field, having won a Gold Glove in 2021 and ranking in the 95th percentile for Outs Above Average each of the past two seasons. He's also got a fantastic arm.
- Speed: He has consistently demonstrated above-average speed, contributing both in the outfield and on the base paths. Bader's sprint speed last year, at 28.2 ft/sec, would've ranked fourth among all Twins behind Byron Buxton, Michael Helman and Austin Martin.
Cons:
- Subpar Bat: He has a 91 career OPS+ and finished last year with an 86 mark. Although he's better against lefties than righties, he's hardly been dominant against them.
- Injury Concerns: Bader has had multiple stints on the injured list, and last year dealt with midseason neck and ankle injuries that might've contributed to his performance tanking in the second half.
Randal Grichuk
Pros:
- Power Hitting Prowess: Grichuk has a history of providing solid power numbers, especially against left-handed pitching. In 2024, he posted a .914 OPS against lefties with an .875 OPS overall.
- Offensive Floor: The 33-year-old has consistently been at least a pretty good hitter. Grichuk has only once posted an OPS+ below Bader's career mark (91) since his rookie season in 2014.
Cons:
- Plate Discipline: He has a career .300 on-base percentage thanks to his lack of patience at the plate. Poor discipline can lead to rapid deterioration in one's mid-30s.
- Limited Fielding Ability: He's more serviceable than good in the outfield corners and has pretty much ceased to be an option in center, making zero appearances there in 2024.
Ramón Laureano
Pros:
- Strong Arm: Laureano has one of the best outfield cannons in the game, with his arm strength ranking in the 89th percentile per Statcast and his "arm value" ranking in the 100th percentile. Imagine him and Matt Wallner in the same outfield.
- Hits Lefties: Batted .305 against southpaws last year and has an .802 career OPS against them.
Cons:
- Health Track Record: He has an injury-prone reputation and was handed a PED suspension in 2021, since which he's never been able to recapture the promise he displayed early in his career.
- Lack of Range: His good arm isn't accompanied by particularly good reactions or closing speed in the outfield, which is why he's primarily been limited to RF in recent years.
Tommy Pham
Pros:
- Quality Career Hitting Record: He has a 111 career OPS+ and in his prime was an All-Star caliber regular. He's easily the most disciplined hitter on this list.
- Veteran Experience: His extensive MLB experience provides leadership and a seasoned presence in the clubhouse, though his personality is considered an ... acquired taste.
Cons:
- Lacking Platoon Appeal: Despite being a righty swinger, Pham's L/R splits are pretty neutral, reducing his value as a matchup-based player in the corners.
- Defensive Decline: He was a borderline center field option at best, but at age 37 using Pham anywhere other than the corners or DH is malpractice. (The White Sox gave him 30 starts in CF last year, which, yeah.)
Why Did the Twins Go with Harrison Bader?
There's a case to be made that Bader is the worst hitter of these four. ZiPS from FanGraphs forecasts him to slash .237/.287/.369 in 2025 — that ranks as the lowest AVG, OBP and SLG of the bunch. It's basically Manuel Margot from 2024 (.238/.289/.337) with a bit more power.
But Bader is also pretty clearly the best defender and best overall athlete in the group. Given the needs of this specific role, backing up Buxton in center and likely appearing frequently as a late-game sub, it's understandable that these traits would take priority. Minnesota's defense was an absolute mess last year when guys like Buxton and Carlos Correa weren't on the field, which certainly played a role in the team's second-half collapse.
Not as big of a role as their offense, though. Between Bader and reliever Danny Coulombe, the Twins have now spent almost $10 million in money they seemingly didn't have without doing a thing to address their offense that tanked their 2024 season.
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now