PHILADELPHIA — From tots to taters, Harrison Bader has thrived in the pressure cooker of a Philadelphia pennant race.
With enthusiasm and elite defense, Bader became an instant fan favorite when the Phillies acquired the Gold Glove outfielder from Minnesota at the July 31 trade deadline.
The “Bader Tots” T-shirts zipped off team merchandise store shelves faster than Bader can rip off hits this season against the rival New York Mets.
With NL batting leader Trea Turner sidelined with a hamstring injury, Bader was bumped up to the leadoff spot against the Mets and rewarded the Phillies with a solo homer — a tater, in home run slang — and his second straight three-hit game in a 9-3 win.
As for the tots?
Well, Bader’s homer into the left-field seats landed not far from the concession stand on the outfield concourse that unveiled Bader Tots on the menu before he could even dig in at the plate.
At the baseball home of cheesesteaks and crab fries, the tots come like the heart of the Phillies’ order: loaded. They’re topped with American cheese sauce, crumbled bacon, Cheddar Jack cheese, sour cream, and scallions.
Only embattled reliever Jordan Romano this season is responsible for so much agita in Philly.
A game after Bryce Harper went 0 for 4 in his leadoff stint, manager Rob Thomson turned to Bader against left-hander Sean Manaea. Bader won’t be the regular leadoff hitter, especially against right-handers, but the move paid off. Bader, who had three hits against the Mets a night earlier and entered 12 for 21 against his former team this season, followed Otto Kemp’s solo homer in the second with his 16th homer of the year for a 4-0 lead.
“I just try to be like Trea and shoot the ball all over the place, run as fast as I can, not get thrown out between first and second, not get thrown out by catchers,” Bader said. “Just try to play my game.”
His game has been about as good as it gets since he joined the NL East leaders.
Bader slashed .320/.389/500 in his first 32 games with the Phillies after he was acquired for two minor leaguers.
There is just one drawback to batting first.
“I’ve got to sprint down a little faster after the top of the first,” he said with a laugh.
Bader found himself in the thick of an apparent dispute over a home run ball he hit last week in Miami against the Marlins.
Bader hit a solo homer into the left-field stands in the fourth inning at loanDepot Park. Several fans scrambled for the ball before a man came up with it and walked over and gave it to a boy and hugged him. Both were wearing Phillies gear, and it was the boy’s birthday.
Moments later, a woman, also wearing Philadelphia apparel, approached and appeared to shout at the man, who then grabbed the ball from the boy’s glove and gave it to her.
The boy ended up going home with a signed bat from Bader, who met with him outside the Phillies’ clubhouse after the game.
Bader’s homer against the Mets didn’t seem to ignite any fireworks in the stands — just crooked numbers on the scoreboard.
“He’s really improved over the years, and he’s got all kinds of power, and it comes out every once in a while,” Thomson said. “I think we all know how good of a defender he is, how good a thrower he is, but I think that the offensive side is impressive.”