Bader is expected to see a "significant amount of playing time" in left field for the Twins this season, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bader's best asset is his defense in center field, which is where each of his last 651 regular-season appearances have come. However, as long as he's healthy, Byron Buxton is slated to handle the bulk of the playing time in center field. Trevor Larnach is projected to start in left field against right-handers, but he could yield to Bader regularly versus lefties.

The Twins signed Bader to a one-year contract Wednesday that includes an mutual option for 2026, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

He'll be guaranteed $6.25 million, with up to $2 million more available in incentives, per Dan Hayes and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Twins have an injury-prone center fielder in Byron Buxton and two left-handed hitting corner outfielders in Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner, so the right-handed hitting Bader makes sense as an active fourth outfielder. Bader has a career .776 OPS against left-handed pitching and much of his playing time could come versus southpaws, provided Buxton is able to stay healthy.

Bader is starting in center field and batting ninth Sunday against the Phillies in Game 2 of the NLDS.

EDGE Analysis

Bader didn't start in Game 1, but he made an impact nonetheless, entering as a pinch runner in the eighth inning and scoring the tying run. He then logged an at-bat in the ninth and singled before stealing second base and subsequently scoring again. With Bader entering the lineup Sunday, Tyrone Taylor will begin the game on the bench.

Bader will start in center field and bat ninth in the first game of Monday's doubleheader versus Atlanta, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bader had not started the last six games against right-handed pitching, but he's getting the call for this one versus righty Spencer Schwellenbach. Tyrone Taylor is handling right field and Starling Marte will begin the contest on the bench.

Bader is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals.

EDGE Analysis

Even though Starling Marte (forearm) is on the bench for the second day in a row, the Mets won't make room in the outfield for Bader, who had started in center field in each of the previous four contests. Instead, Tyrone Taylor will get the starting nod in center after he went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 2-1 loss to Philadelphia.

Bader went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer, a double and an additional run scored in Friday's 11-3 win over the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Bader laced a two-out double off Max Lazar in the sixth inning before putting the game to bed with a three-run homer off Tyler Gilbert in the eighth, his 12th long ball of the year. Bader had gone just 3-for-24 with no extra-base hits in 12 games prior to Friday while continuing to lose at-bats to Jesse Winker, Starling Marte and Tyrone Taylor. Overall, the 30-year-old Bader is slashing .246/.290/.393 with 50 RBI (matching a career high), 54 runs scored and 16 stolen bases across 404 plate appearances this season.

Bader went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-0 win over the Reds.

EDGE Analysis

The center fielder broke open a scoreless tie by taking Sam Moll deep to lead off the sixth inning. Bader has been making his rare hits count over the last few weeks -- he's gone just 3-for-45 (.067) since Aug. 15, but all three hits have left the yard. On the season, Bader is slashing .243/.288/.384 with 11 homers, 15 steals, 47 RBI and 52 runs in 392 plate appearances.

Bader isn't in the Mets' lineup Saturday versus the White Sox.

EDGE Analysis

Bader continued to struggle at the plate Friday, going 0-for-4 while driving in an RBI en route to a victory. He'll bow out of the lineup again Saturday while Brandon Nimmo starts in center field, putting Jesse Winker in left.

Bader isn't in the Mets' lineup for Thursday's game versus the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

Bader has seemingly broken out of his offensive skid by hitting two home runs over his last two games, but he will be held out of Thursday's series finale. The Mets will instead roll out an outfield trio of Jesse Winker, Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte.

Bader is not in the Mets' lineup Tuesday versus the Diamondbacks.

EDGE Analysis

While Bader has been getting starts every other game, he has appeared in every game since Aug. 13. In the 13-game span since then, the outfielder has struggled at the plate with just two hits in 34 plate appearances. Tyrone Taylor has the start in center Tuesday and is batting seventh.