Many free agents are still available, with the Boston Red Sox playing their first spring training game on Friday in just a few hours.
The group of athletes known as the “Boras Four,” which consists of outfielder Cody Bellinger, third baseman Matt Chapman, southpaws Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, justifiably garner the majority of the attention, but there are other guys who are simply looking for a team to play them.
A former homegrown Red Sox outfielder who spent nine seasons in Boston has been moved around is one of those players.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, “Jackie Bradley Jr. is working out and looking to see if he can get a job now,” which was reported on Thursday.
Although Bradley is renowned for his excellent defence, his offensive style prevents him from playing in the major leagues.
In 43 games during the previous season, the 33-year-old batted.133 with six extra-base hits, including one home run, six RBIs, and a.397 OPS (10 OPS+).
In limited action last season, Bradley showed 91st-percentile arm strength and recorded four outs above average.
Bradley makes the most sense right now as a candidate for a minor-league deal who might later be added as a fourth outfielder to bolster a team’s depth.
Given their depth of young outfielders, particularly Ceddanne Rafaela, who is expected to be every bit as excellent as a 33-year-old Bradley and may even surpass Bradley’s prime defensive years, the Red Sox would not be a suitable fit.
With less than two weeks until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, would the Boston Red Sox bring back a familiar face to fill one of their obvious needs?
Craig Breslow, the chief baseball officer of the Red Sox, has been searching for starting pitchers and a versatile right-handed bat throughout the winter.
It is unlikely that the former will occur through a reunion, but the latter may depend on two former Red Sox outfielders.
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