Harrison Baders first season with Giants over after late-night scooter crash
SAN DIEGO — A late-night scooter accident, the details of which remain hazy, will be the lasting memory of Harrison Bader’s otherwise forgettable first season in San Francisco.Despite indicating otherwise just last week, manager Tony Vitello confirmed Thursday afternoon that the offseason free-agent addition had played his final game this season.“I think that would have been a longshot to begin with,” Vitello said of Bader’s chances of returning this season after he crashed his scooter in the wee hours Sunday morning in one of San Francisco’s premier nightlight districts.The 32-year-old center fielder had been limited to only 30 games in his first season since signing a two-year, $20 million contract with the Giants this past offseason.He was first sidelined by a hamstring strain but more recently has been dealing with plantar fasciitis.Bader, who hasn’t appeared in a game since May 29, was scheduled to fly to Indianapolis to see a specialist for the persistent issue with his left foot.
On Friday, Vitello said Bader was “frustrated” by “some setbacks” that had stalled his rehab efforts.Before he could make it to the foot specialist, he suffered a different kind of setback.In an update Tuesday, the team said Bader had “further injured his same foot” in a “scooter accident on Saturday night/early Sunday morning.” By Thursday, more details had begun to emerge.According to statements from the San Francisco Fire and Police departments, first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, Bader was transported to a local hospital around 2 a.m.
Sunday morning with non-life-threatening injuries.The incident occurred in the Marina district, the authorities said.A witness who spoke to SFist anonymously shed more light on the incident, telling the publication that it took place outside the famed Balboa Cafe, a popular drinking hole owned by Governor Gavin Newsom, and involved a San Francisco Fire Department vehicle.Per SFist, Bader rode his scooter i...