Cardinals News: Harrison Bader possibly nearing return

Cardinals outfielder Harrison Bader nearing return.

Kwang-hyun Kim just came off the injured list for the St. Louis Cardinals. The return of Harrison Bader may not be far behind.

Bader is “progressing well,” manager Mike Shildt told reporters, including Katie Woo of The Athletic, and is 10-14 days away from being a full-go on baseball related activities. It is unclear when he would rejoin the team in this scenario, but the fact that Bader is making progress is an extremely encouraging sign for a Cardinals team in desperate need of another productive outfielder.

In his time with the Cardinals, Bader has been one of the team’s most perplexing players. His defensive skills rate among the best in baseball and figures to win him a Gold Glove at some point during his career. One rival executive recently lamented that Bader is one of his favorite defenders in the game. But his offensive production, or lack thereof, has been his downfall in his career and is what has led to the uncertainty surrounding his future in St. Louis.

This season is easily the most important of Bader’s career, and that it started with an extended trip on the IL is not what either the team or player envisioned. But the team hopes that once he returns, he can step right into playing elite defense in center field while shifting Dylan Carlson back to right field, his natural position in the outfield.

But what the team really needs to see is better production at the plate. It feels like that has been said about Bader since he entered the majors, but his numbers against right-handed pitchers have been well-below average. The team was confident during the spring that he could improve those numbers, but the early stint on the IL halted any development.

Bader may return in the next few weeks, so we could soon see his development with our eyes for the first time. When he does return, however, the spotlight is going to be on him. Quite frankly, it’s a make it or break it season for the enticing outfielder.