Harrison Bader joined the New York Yankees via trade midway through last season. But injuries hampered his production during the regular season. The center fielder was able to show flashes of his potential during the postseason, helping the Yankees reach the ALCS. Most recently, a story regarding the Bader trade resurfaced, with a former Yankee playing an important role. 

Bader started this season on the injured list. He strained his forearm during Spring Training and didn’t recover in time for Opening Day. But since his return, he has been impactful with the bat. This resurfaced story reveals a new angle to the Bader trade.

Aaron Boone turned to Matt Carpenter for advice

The Harrison Bader trade happened last year, with the Yankees sending Jordan Montgomery to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange. The trade came as a shock to many, but Bronx Bombers manager Aaron Boone had some expert advice. He asked one of Bader’s former teammates, Matt Carpenter, what he thought of the youngster. According to a video shared by Sports Reporter Mike Daddino on Twitter, Carpenter sang Bader’s praises. In the video, a broadcaster is recounting what Carpenter said.

According to the video, Carpenter said, “You got a chance to get that guy? Do whatever you could. That guy’s a gamer. He comes to play every single day. Only cares about winning, he is a stud.” These were strong words of endorsement from Carpenter, who played with Bader on the Cardinals. 

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The Yankees eventually pulled the trigger on the trade and brought in the 28-year-old centerfielder. Since then Bader has played limited minutes but has shown flashes of great play. In fact, during the 2022 postseason, he helped carry the Yankees to the ALCS. This season, he has missed some games due to injury and almost threatened a return to the IL earlier this month.

Harrison Bader got into a nasty clash during a game earlier this month

During a game against the Cleveland Guardians earlier this month, Harrison Bader clashed with Isiah Kiner-Falefa. This happened during the ninth inning of the game, with many fans worried that Bader would rejoin the injured list. Luckily, that was not the case, and he has been healthy since then. Furthermore, the 28-year-old centerfielder has shown some good form with the bat. 

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What do you think of former New York Yankees player Matt Carpenter’s role in the Harrison Bader trade? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.