The New York Yankees' outfield could get a major boost shortly. Harrison Bader, who has yet to play this season due to an oblique strain that he sustained in Spring Training, is expected to begin a rehab assignment next week.

Per Bryan Hoch:

“Harrison Bader went through a full on-field workout today and could begin a minor league rehab assignment as soon as Monday.”

That's very good news for the Yankees. Bader has struggled immensely to stay on the field since coming over to the Bronx at the trade deadline last season. The former St. Louis Cardinal didn't make his New York debut until late September of 2022 after recovering from plantar fasciitis.

Bader performed well in the postseason however, clubbing five homers and hitting over .300 in two series against the Guardians and Astros. The fact that he's on the field doing full workouts is a good sign and his return to the Yankees lineup would pay dividends on both sides of the ball.

The 28-year-old is a menace in center field and is capable of a 20-20 season, possessing power at the dish and speed on the basepaths.

This is obviously an injury that NY wants to be very cautious with since that rotational movement is a huge part of baseball in every facet. With Harrison Bader sidelined, both Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks have spent time in CF.

If Bader can stay healthy throughout the entire campaign and put the injury bug behind him, it'll be absolutely huge for Aaron Boone's squad. His ability to impact the game in a number of ways would certainly come in handy.