It hasn’t been the smoothest ride for the Giants’ Bader. The outfielder arrived on a two-year, $20.5 million deal in January and brought the heat over 30 games, hitting .170 with five home runs. Seems like all is well, right? However, injuries have plagued his season, and this time a scooter accident stood in his way and put him off the field. Now the San Francisco Giants have had enough of it.

“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 released by the team. “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.”

“On July 26, at approximately 1:53 a.m., the San Francisco Fire Department responded to a motor vehicle collision in the area of the 2200 block of Greenwich Street in the Cow Hollow District. One patient was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” stated the San Francisco Police Department.

Reports say Bader crashed his motorized scooter into the back of a San Francisco Fire Department engine at around 1:50 am after a night of bar-hopping in the city’s Marina District. One of the fire engine’s wheels subsequently rolled over his foot. He was then transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

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According to KPIX reporter Matt Lively, witnesses told him they saw Bader drinking at bars in multiple neighborhoods and that he was last seen leaving Balboa Cafe before the crash. The Giants, in a Tuesday injury report, said the collision “changed the nature of his evaluation.”

The Athletic also reported that, more than two days after the Sunday crash, the Giants still hadn’t shared any MRI results and Bader had not made any public statement, despite the organization urging him to speak with reporters or release one.

For now, a source familiar with the situation said Bader has not fully cooperated with the team’s investigation. The source spoke anonymously because they were not cleared to comment. Bader reportedly fears the Giants, his seventh MLB team, might try to void the rest of his contract. They could claim he took part in “high-risk activities” that the collective bargaining agreement bars without written club approval.

It isn’t even the first setback of the season for him.

Before this, Bader’s injury list wasn’t clean. In April, the 31-year-old landed on a 10-day injured list stint for a left hamstring strain, and before that, a thumb injury limited him to a .115 average with one home run, three RBIs and 17 strikeouts across 52 at-bats.

More recently, he had been sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his left foot since May 29, and his recovery has proven tricky for the last two months. The $20.5 million slugger was scheduled to meet his doctor in Indianapolis earlier this week for an evaluation that would have shaped the plan for his rehab.

However, the reported scooter accident created another problem for the Giants. Bader hit .277 last season, and although he was batting just .170 before the injury, the team’s offense still relied heavily on him. The Giants will also be without Trevor McDonald, who is expected to miss the entire 2026 and 2027 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery (also known as Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) reconstruction). According to The Gainesville Sun, Bader also got into trouble after a scooter accident in 2014 while he was in college.

The Giants’ decision has started a lot of debate. Some fans support the move, while others are shocked and questioning whether the team has the right to do this. In baseball, injuries sustained while performing required team duties generally do not void a player’s pay, but there are exceptions.

Under Section 5(b) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, “The player and the club recognize and agree that participating in certain sports may harm or destroy the player’s ability and skill as a baseball player. Therefore, the player agrees not to participate in professional boxing or wrestling. Without the club’s written consent, the player also agrees not to participate in skiing, auto racing, motorcycle racing, skydiving, football, soccer, professional league basketball, ice hockey, or any other sport that involves a substantial risk of personal injury.”

It is believed that the Giants have invoked the same for Bader.

This is not the first time a Giants player has faced trouble over an off-field vehicle accident. In 2017, Madison Bumgarner suffered a motorcycle injury, but the team chose not to penalize him under the CBA.

Now, it’s more challenging for the Giants to look for alternatives for the remainder of the season.

The Giants need to scramble for alternatives

The Giants are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, so the chances of them bringing in a veteran to replace Bader are low. Bader signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal with the Giants before the season. He has a $4.5 million base salary this year and is still owed $1.42 million.

Instead, Grant McCray and Drew Gilbert may see more playing time in Bader’s absence. Among these two probable names, Gilbert has handled the bulk of the playing time with 62 starts. His power numbers remain modest (4 home runs), but his .321 on-base percentage keeps him functional at the top or bottom of the lineup. However, he struggles mightily in limited exposure against left-handed pitching, carrying just a .098 OPS against southpaws this year.

On the other hand, McCray has had a roller coaster 2026 season. He missed significant time after undergoing surgery for a fractured hamate bone in his left wrist, suffered in early June.

Since returning, he has primarily served as a late-game defensive replacement and pinch-runner, showcasing his speed by going a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts in very limited action.

Suspending Bader’s pay may not be enough for the Giants to deal with the challenge.