October 04, 2025
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Harrison Bader left Saturday night's Game 1 loss, but believes he'll still be able to play again in the NLDS.
Harrison Bader believes he'll still be able to play in the NLDS.
The centerfielder had to exit the Phillies' 5-3 Game 1 loss to the Dodgers in the seventh inning on Saturday night, with what manager Rob Thomson said postgame was "groin tightness."
Nick Castellanos took up Bader's No. 8 spot in the batting order, and Brandon Marsh slid over to center field from left for the last two innings.
The Phillies are off Sunday. Bader will have imaging done in the morning, and he and the club will go from there as they approach Game 2 Monday night back at Citizens Bank Park.
He seemed optimistic in the Phillies' clubhouse.
"Definitely feel like I'll be able to play," Bader said. "Just running between first and second base, kind of pulled it at second base, just felt a little weird. I don't know really what it attributed to."
He was running, though, on Bryson Stott's single in the bottom of the fifth, which Thomson confirmed is where the tightness started to set in (via MetroPhilly's Kyle Fisher).
In the top of the fifth, Bader tracked down a liner hit by L.A.'s Andy Pages to right-center and dove out to make the catch for the out.
WHAT A PLAY.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 4, 2025
WHAT A GIFT. pic.twitter.com/8mqg6NBaUo
Bader stayed in for the sixth, and was only pulled once his turn to bat was back up in the seventh.
He said in the clubhouse that something felt "strange" while standing on second when he was said to have suffered the injury, and felt that he couldn't fully sprint in center field, which all factored into the decision to sit down the rest of the way.
"I just think random things happen, unfortunately. But in terms of the preparation leading up to the event and whatnnot, I really wu;dn't change anyhting.
"I think it's a tough decision to be made," Bader said. "But, again, I do feel like if something did have to happen, you risk obviously being more injured, and we have a lot of baseball ahead of us. Win or loss tonight, we have a lot of baseball ahead of us.
"So I think it was just the smart decision given how I felt in terms of my symptoms to make that decision. But like I said, there's imaging tomorrow and we'll go from there."
The Phillies started Bader in center, Marsh in left, and Max Kepler in right field for Game 1.
Should Bader not be ready in time for Game 2, Marsh will likely stick in center as the Phillies' most athletic outfielder, while Castellanos would regain his former everyday spot in right, with either Kepler or Weston Wilson back in left.
That was the Phillies' outfield look before Bader was acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline. However, it was a group that was inconsistent and left a lot to be desired offensively.
The Sunday off day will buy the Phillies a bit of time and clarity on Bader's status once the imaging comes through.
They'll hope he won't be down long, if at all.
"If there's an absolute chance in hell, you better believe I'm gonna be in there," Bader said of playing again this postseason.
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