Giants’ Season Takes a Nosedive with Bader’s Latest Injury
The San Francisco Giants are facing a rough season, and it just got a bit stranger thanks to Harrison Bader.
Bader was on his way to see a foot and ankle specialist in Indianapolis on Monday after being out with plantar fasciitis since May 30. But before that appointment, he managed to worsen his already injured left leg in a late-night scooter mishap in San Francisco.
Despite the new injury, the Giants reported that Bader still attended an induction ceremony. However, this latest setback altered how doctors were going to assess his condition. He returned to San Francisco where team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ken Akizuki was set to evaluate him, including an MRI scan to find out how serious the injury is.
“Obviously, he’s not better than he was,” commented coach Tony Vitello. “It’s going to slow down his recovery process, and it’s going to be a long and frustrating runway ahead of him.”
This accident adds another bizarre twist to what has already been a season filled with challenges for the Giants.
Bader, who signed a two-year, $20.5 million contract back in January, has only played 30 games due to hamstring and foot injuries. His performance has been disappointing, with a batting average of just .170, an on-base percentage of .198, and a slugging percentage of .358. These numbers are far from what San Francisco hoped for from their center fielder.
This isn’t Bader’s first run-in with scooter-related trouble. He previously faced suspension from team activities during his time at the University of Florida back in 2014 following a scooter accident.
This latest mishap comes amidst a slew of injury reports for the Giants. Casey Schmidt recently suffered a torn meniscus while rounding first base and may miss the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, pitcher Trevor McDonald is scheduled for Tommy John surgery and is expected to be out for all of 2027.
As the Giants sit 16 games under .500 and prepare to sell players at the upcoming trade deadline, like Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, and Luis Arraez, the prospect of a 90-loss season looms. With disappointing performances and increasing injury woes, Bader’s scooter accident feels almost like the final straw.
