PHILADELPHIA -- Harrison Bader on Tuesday declined his side of a $10 million mutual option for 2026.

It made him a free agent.

Bader’s decision was expected. Mutual options are rarely exercised by both the player and team. In fact, the last mutual option to be exercised was Aramis Ramirez and Milwaukee in November 2014, according to Spotrac.

Bader, 31, had perhaps the best year of his career, batting a combined .277 with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, a .796 OPS and a 117 OPS+ with the Twins and Phillies. It only makes sense that he would try to seek a multiyear contract in free agency.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski expressed interest last month in bringing back Bader.

“Harrison Bader did a really nice job for us,” Dombrowski said.

Bader provided a boost both

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