I don't care if this season is an outlier for Bader. We have a half-season plus for Bader --285 AB. His OPS+ is a very respectable 108 and his fielding, as per normal, is rated plus. He's logged 2.7 rWAR, more than any other Phillies OF. We traded prospects, admittedly not primo prospects to get him. He needs to be playing. It is foolish to squander assets in trade for a new OF and then, basically, bench him in favor of the guys you already had, who already proved they aren't up to the job. Kepler (-0.5) and Castellanos (-0.6) are both negative rWAR on the season, neither is as good a fielder as Bader, and both heve OPS+ below 100 (In the case of Kepler, far below 100). Bader does not have a significant RHP/LHP split so it makes zero sense to platoon him. He should be starting every game. Casty caused a stink when he was lifted for a defensive replacement and after being grounded for that defiance for a game has played every game without sub. He wasn't even replaced for a PR and defensive replacement. I think he is being allowed to dictate this in order to keep Harper happy, as it makes zero sense. Castellanos' negative WAR is not new.-- his first season in Philly was -0.1 WAR and his total rWAR in Philly over 3.5 seasons is only 1.5. If we have Castellanos and Kepler in the lineup and Bader on the bench, then we are not fielding our best possible team. It's not like Bader needed rest yesterday, but Kepler and Casty could both use a sitdown.
