The San Francisco Giants have suspended pay for free agent outfielder Harrison Bader following a late-night scooter crash that occurred earlier this month. The team announced the decision Friday, stating the incident "delayed Harrison’s prior treatment timeline for plantar fasciitis and, unfortunately, his return to the field."
The Giants are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, which took place in the early hours of Sunday morning. According to a statement from President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey, the team will "be suspending payment to Harrison until he is able to resume performing services for the Club."
Bader, who was signed to a two-year, $20.5 million contract this past winter, was already on the injured list with plantar fasciitis and had not played since May. The crash has ended any possibility of his return this season, as he appeared in only 30 games.
The incident reportedly occurred around 1:50 a.m. in a nightlife district. An eyewitness told SFist that Bader crashed his scooter into the back of a San Francisco Fire Department engine, which then reportedly backed over his foot, "causing major injury."
The collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players' union prohibits players from engaging in activities "involving a substantial risk of personal injury" without written consent from their team. While operating a motorized scooter is not explicitly mentioned, the Giants' legal department is reportedly examining if Bader's actions violate this provision.
Sources indicate that Bader had not fully cooperated with the team's investigation into the crash, with one anonymous source telling The Athletic that he had "not fully cooperated." Manager Tony Vitello also stated that Bader "didn’t share a lot of details with me."
Bader was earning $7 million this season and is owed an additional $10.5 million in 2027. The outfielder was batting .170 with a .557 OPS at the time of his injury.