San Francisco Giants centerfielder Harrison Bader will miss upcoming paydays after aggravating a foot injury in a scooter crash early Sunday morning. The team announced it is suspending payments to Bader, who is owed $1.42 million for the remainder of the current season and $10 million in 2027.
Bader was already on the injured list with plantar fasciitis in his left foot when the incident occurred around 1:50 a.m. in the city's Marina district. According to The San Francisco Chronicle, he crashed into the back of a firetruck and was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"Over the weekend, Harrison Bader was involved in an accident that has delayed Harrison's prior treatment timeline for plantar fasciitis and, unfortunately, his return to the field," Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey said in a statement. "We are still investigating the circumstances of the accident, but will be suspending payment to Harrison until he is able to resume performing services for the club."
Giants manager Tony Vitello confirmed on Thursday that Bader's season is effectively over as medical staff assess the extent of the new damage. "I think that would have been a longshot to begin with," Vitello said about a potential return this season. "Obviously he's not better than he was prior to that. It's going to delay him. There's a chance it could delay the recovery process for him."
Bader, who has not played since May 29, was scheduled to see a specialist for his initial injury, but the crash has led to a change in his evaluation plans and new MRI scans.
This incident is not the first time Bader has been involved in a scooter-related mishap. While at the University of Florida in 2014, he allegedly crashed a scooter into a parked car while intoxicated, resulting in a 19-game suspension.
When asked about potential internal disciplinary action for the recent crash, Vitello indicated that the front office is reviewing the situation. "I don't know the circumstances. Depending on what those are, I wouldn't rule any of that out," Vitello admitted. "The front office is sorting through all that other stuff."
Before his injury, Bader had a difficult debut season with the Giants, posting a career-low .170 batting average with five home runs in 30 games.