Mets and Phillies Strengthen Their Bullpen

On Wednesday, both the Mets and the Phillies made moves to bolster their bullpens.

The Phillies struck first, making a significant enhancement to their outfield.

Philly has brought in center fielder Harrison Bader from the Twins, who has previously played for both the Mets and Yankees. John Heyman confirmed this development.

In the exchange, Minnesota received outfield prospect Hendry Mendes along with minor league pitcher Jeremy Villeria, as reported by Athletics.

The Phillies are trailing the Mets by just half a game in the NL East, with both teams vying for division supremacy and aiming for a solid playoff position.

Meanwhile, the Mets added Ryan Healthley and Tyler Rodgers to their roster. The Phillies, in response, signed Twins pitcher Joan Duran.

Rumors are swirling that both teams are seeking additional help in center field, eyeing players like Bader, White Sox’s Luis Robert Jr., and Cedric Mullins from the Orioles.

Interestingly, the Phillies picked Bader, who has had his best offensive season in four years, despite trading away a significant package for Duran.

Bader, 31, boasts 12 home runs and 38 RBIs, while maintaining a batting line of .258/.339/.439 and an OPS of .778. He also recorded 10 stolen bases this season.

His OPS+ of 111 marks his best performance since hitting 114 in 2021.

Known for his defensive skills, Bader won a Gold Glove in 2021 and has impressive metrics, including a plus-13 defensive run score and plus-5 outs above average.

On Wednesday, the Phillies used Johann Rojas as their center fielder in a 9-3 loss, but it seems likely that Rojas will be moved to a bench role with Bader’s arrival.

Philadelphia is currently in contention for the third NL wildcard spot, trailing by 4.5 games, and will host the Tigers in a three-game series beginning Friday.

The Mets, on the other hand, will face the Giants, who secured Rogers for their upcoming series. The last time these teams met, the Mets swept the Giants in three games.