MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Outfielder Harrison Bader and the Minnesota Twins have agreed to a one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the agreement, which includes a mutual option for 2026, had not been finalized.
A Gold Glove winner for St. Louis in 2021, Bader will be playing for his fifth team in five seasons.
He hit .236 with 12 homers, 51 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 25 attempts for the New York Mets last year. He was limited to just two postseason starts in 12 games.
Bader is expected to provide an experienced right-handed bat off the bench and excellent defense in the outfield that can keep the Twins from too much of a drop-off in the field when Byron Buxton needs a break.
Bader has spent most of his time in center field but also is capable of playing in the corners. He would fill a role similar to Michael A. Taylor in 2023, one the Twins hoped to rely on Manny Margot for last year, but Margot struggled and was not re-signed.
Bader has a .242 average with 71 homers, 268 RBIs and 94 steals in 120 attempts for the Cardinals (2017-22), New York Yankees (2022-23), Cincinnati (2023) and the Mets, who signed the New York native to a $10.5 million, one-year deal.
Minnesota also has a pending one-year deal with left-hander Danny Coulombe, who pitched for the Twins from 2020-22 and spent the past two seasons with Baltimore. The 35-year-old was 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA and one save in 33 relief appearances last year, striking out 32 and walking five in 29 2/3 innings.
Coulombe is 15-9 with a 3.52 ERA and three seasons over 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-15), Oakland (2015-18), the Twins and Orioles.
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Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
