Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom met with reporters (including Alex Speier of the Boston Globe) this afternoon and confirmed that the club remains in contact with the representatives for free agent center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. They will stay in touch until the situation “resolves” itself, Bloom added. Bradley is unquestionably the top position player remaining in free agency at this point. In addition to their involvement in the Bradley market, Bloom noted (via Speier) the Sox could discuss contract extensions with players already on the roster in spring training.
Elsewhere in the AL East:
- Even after agreeing to terms with Brett Gardner, the Yankees expect to hand the primary left field job to Clint Frazier, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (via Marly Rivera of ESPN). Frazier, a former top prospect, took hold of the job with a stellar .267/.394/.511 slash line with eight home runs over 160 plate appearances in 2020. The 26-year-old has still only played 162 MLB games and has had some ups and downs defensively, so a reunion with the reliable Gardner provides something of a safety net for New York.
- Rays pitching prospect Brent Honeywell has been knocked off course by a series of arm injuries, undergoing four elbow surgeries since his last minor-league action in September 2017. The 25-year-old is now back in major league camp and feeling better than he has in years. “I’m excited. I’m healthy. … Everything is good. After this last one, it was a big-time help for me, and it was a big-time relief of my elbow. Everything is so-called ‘on track,’ and we’re moving in the right direction,” Honeywell told reporters (including Adam Berry of MLB.com). There’s no specific timetable for the 25-year-old’s return to game action but there seems to be a general sense of optimism regarding Honeywell’s ability to contribute at the big league level in 2021.
Clint is 26……Thought he was younger.
Baseball is different from the other major North American sports in that players commonly don’t become regulars until their mid to late twenties.
Frazier was traded to the Yankees almost five years ago and has been mentioned prominently ever.
Capt obvious
That because NY kept him down in the minors way to long hope re remembers that when he becomes a FA
Frazier has over 2700 minor league plate appearances. That’s a lot for a guy who made his big league debut at 22 years old.
He was 21 and had spent time in AA when the Yankees acquired him. He saw major league action the next season and hit .231. Let’s not talk like he took baseball by storm. He had good tools but hadn’t won his chance until he was 23.
He certainly got the yo-yo treatment. He was mishandled for certain.
mishandled? no- he didn’t wow the Yankees when he had the opportunities until this past year
Frazier mostly kept himself down. Some of it immaturity related, but mostly it was related to his concussion that impacted his fielding. His 2019 defensive season was the worst I’ve ever seen from an OFer going back decades. When the Yankees acquired Encarnacion for basically nothing that year, Frazier went back down to work on his defense. To his credit, he improved significantly in 2020. Getting further from the concussion helped too. LF would have been his in 2019 if not for these issues. It’s now his again. Red Thunder should be a big contributor in 2021, but I’m glad Gardner is back as the 4th OFer in case Red Blunder makes a comeback.
I remember watching one of his games in 2019 against the Red Sox at Fenway, and he was playing right field. It honestly may have been the worst single-game defensive showing that I have ever seen in an MLB game. The guy simply could not field at all. Glad he’s doing better now though.
Check out what was nothing for Encarnacion….one of the top prospects for one of the top farm systems.
he will sign where ever the money is best.
It’s those boyish looks…. did I see pimples?
Still very young- Past time that he had the everyday position.
I really hope to see Honeywell healthy, he has had some extremely bad luck.
Would really love to see Honeywell succeed. Poor guy has been through it all…
Was just thinking that. Guys like this are really easy to pull for. Hope he gets strong and logs some big league innings.
With only $5.5M remaining before they exceed the $210M threshold coupled with the RS gravitating toward younger talent, I don’t think we need JBJ going fwd. Use Verdugo/Kike until May/June then bring up Durran (which delays his service time) I am surprised Houston has not signed JBJ to replace Springer.
I agree Soxshortstop. Boston seems intent upon staying under the CBT this year; Bradley only complicates matters. If Dalbec is able to produce at the plate this year and Casas continues his positive development, the Sox could look to trade JD Martinez at the all-star break if they are out of it and JDM rebounds as we expect him to. That would allow them to stay under the CBT for sure even if they bring JBJ back on a 1-2 year agreement. They could also use the JDM savings to lock up Devers on a long term deal. Lots more to do for Boston this season. I’m also looking forward to the Duran debut. He’s going to surprise a lot of naysayers. The kid is the real deal in CF.
Go to the Angels Bradley
Why? Upton isn’t a bad contract? Let’s sign JBJ for 3 years. Are You kidding?
They could also make other moves if Bradley is brought back. If the team plays better than expected, a rebounding JDM will likely be tap major reason why.
Just be aware that you’ll be getting Hungry Like The Wolf references for the next decade. That has tempered my enthusiasm for him. And if he’s bad, watch out for things to Come Undone.
JD will be fine- he has this and next year on his contract.
Don’t understand the Sox fascination with Bradley, Jr……..
His strength is defense. He’s never had 2 consecutive quality offense seasons. He should hit better playing half his games in Fenway, The difficult OF position there is RF (a bad sun field as well as spacious), not CF – which is why Dewey Evans was so valuable. Sure, the Sox play half their games on the road, but not all visiting parks have large CF’s.
The point is that a decent CF in Fenway is all they really need. Bradley, Jr. could be carried when his salary was low. But today his – and his agents – demands are not low. For a team concerned about staying under a cap, giving this guy even 70% of what he wants is crazy. The Sox would be just as well picking up a guy like Adam Engel of the White Sox – a splendid ballhawk that also can’t hit much, currently doesn’t have a starting position, makes $1.375M, and won’t be a FA until 2024. Plus there are other guys out there with a similar profile.
Adam Haseley of the Phillies might be another possibility. Phillies can use some relief help.
So could Boston
Samuel, CF and RF have their own challenges at Fenway. In RF, the sun, the small foul territory as it just out, the sudden steepness,etc. CF is no picnic either. Covering for an inferior left fielder even in a smaller left field, crazy bounces off the monster including from the manual scoreboard openings, the triangle and a doorway. You also need great arms for both positions. Add to it when the team is on the road where usually there’s more territory to cover on both sides of center.
Truth is Evans looked better when a healthy Lynn patrolled center and a Mookie the same having JBJ in right. Of course, vice versa as well. Last year AV looked great in right but in part because JBJ was in center. Before the trade I had been a strong proponent of NOT using AB in center. Why is the team considering moving AV to center if the important spot at home is right? Bottom line is the outfield defense in 21 will be better if they’re manned mostly by JBJ in center and AV in right.
*JBJ in center.
JBJ is twice the hitter Engel is. Engel has a OPS+ of 68, JBJ has a 94.
JBJ wants 6-7 times Engel’s salary…..
Which is my point.
What he wants and what he gets from a club might not be the same. I want my wife to wake up warm and fuzzy every morning. Regardless, I love her just the same.
Wanting 6-7x the salary is something but the players aren’t very comparable. JBJ is just a below average hitter but Engel is a near automatic out.
JBJ’s market will dry up and he’ll have to take something smaller. Realistically he’s a 2/18-20 guy who has been asking for 4 years.
Here’s to Frazier having a good season!
Frazier was a beast at home last year. Hits rhp and lhp equally well enough.
Hopefully, Gardner won’t be taking at bats away from Frazier. Though when the playoffs roll around, Boone will have Gardner in left guaranteed.
I don’t think anything in the playoffs is guaranteed at this point. Even the Yankees making it isn’t guaranteed.
And besides, If Frazier hits .290 and swats 35 homers, and plays even league average defense, he’ll start in every game if the teams makes the postseason.
That’s asking a lot. I could see more like .270, 25 homers.
Could care less about his average . On base IMO is much more important
Much more realistic
If Gardy gets a lot of playing time, he won’t be taking at bats away from Frazier, it will be because of Judge and Hicks not staying healthy. Forget about Stanton, because he won’t play in the outfield unless if they need him to do so.
Right, however if Stanton gets hurt again Judge and Hicks would see more ABs at DH which means Ironman Gardy goes to the OF.
Hope not- i hope Frazier takes the job and runs with it. Gardner should not have been resigned.
Quick question: who will have more at bats with the Yankees this season, Gardner or Frazier?
If Frazier hits near what he did in 2020, he does. If he disappoints, Gardner will get the benefit due to better defense and experience.
Ctyank.. Frazier will have the most but Gardner will have the playoff at bats.
Hopefully Frazier. Gardner was a dumb signing
yeah signing a guy with a 43 career war was a dumb signing for 4 million
I think they will have the same amount of at bats not because of a share time in left but because Gardner will fill in for Judge and Hicks a bunch when they hit the IL.
Do i wish injury on them, of course not but history just shows they are on their alot and thats why Gardner plays soo much.
Frazier. Gardner will play a couple times a week as the Yankees obsess over health, so they’ll rotate Gardner in against righties, but if Gardner gets more ABs than Frazier it will be because Judge, Hicks and Stanton are doing their regular injured thing, or Frazier is injured. I would think after witnessing the non-stop parade of injured OFers the last two seasons that Yankee fans would be happy the team just brought back the most durable Yankee OFers.
I wonder, if Honeywell will still be using his screwball? He was suppose to be the guy, who would come back with the “forgotten pitch”, undortunately it didn’t happen, and probably it will make pitchers even more afraid of throwing it.
JBJ may yet have a role in Boston, but I’m having a hard time seeing it given the Hernandez and Gonzalez signings. The outfield is a logjam even before you even consider a return of JBJ.
Hedging on JDM’s bat not returning, I can see a scenario where JBJ continues patrolling centerfield at Fenway, and with extra active roster room available, maybe it makes sense now when it wouldn’t have in the past with a 25-man roster.
I can’t imagine the Red Sox committing more than two years to JBJ while Bloom is at the helm.
EH & MG not anywhere close to defence catching and throwing that JBJ brings, especially having t play 81 games in Fenway dealing with Green Monster and the 420 FT. Triangle in CF. Longer spring training goes and especially with 4 million Gardner signed with Yankees – not anywhere close to a defender like JBJ is.
After THIS weekend’s exhibition games the more time JBJ is not playing, the worse it will get for him game day condition wise it’ll be for him. One or 2 years just get it done for 2 X Red Sox World Series champ. Didn’t play much in 2013 regular season, but still very deserving of that World Series ring
I don’t think anyone really thought Gardner would be the primary left fielder after Frazier’s outstanding short showing in the majors last season. Gardner is a really good 4th outfield option though. He gets on base, still runs well and is a plus defender in left and center. Knowing how injury prone their outfield can be, it’s nice to have a reliable fallback option.
I count 9 lefty starters in the division. Gardner should have ample playing time in OF. Not too excited about Hicks bat. Gardner could see loads of starts especially on the road.
Hicks has not been healthy. He played himself into the contract that he signed and has had some bad luck with injuries. If the Yankees’ outfield is healthy it will be productive.
The track record of merely above average hitters who miss large portions of multiple seasons in a row in their 30s simply isn’t that good. Hicks is just a stop gap until they have someone better or hit contract expires
Jasson Dominguez
Hicks contract keeps his in NY through the 2025 season (with an option for 2026) so they can’t afford to wait around until his deal expires. I’m not sure NY could deal Hicks to anyone unless they eat some money, but I could see Hicks becoming a fairly expensive 4th OF for NY by 2023 at the latest.
Joe Says –
What about him? Why bring up a guy who won’t even sniff the major leagues for 3-5 years? Let’s let Dominguez prove something on the field before just randomly inserting his name into articles that have nothing to do with him, ok? Remember Kevin Maitan?
Because I was replying to the post that said Hicks was a stop gap until they have someone better. I think Dominguez is that someone.
Hicks played 90% of the games last year. Plus an additional 7 playoff games. Seems okay to me.
I mean, Hicks had a 121 OPS+ last year, and he wasn’t even fully recovered from TJS. Like all the Yankee OFers not named Gardner, health is their issue.
Forget JBJ, not happening. They’re going to ride the platoon until Duran is ready.
Stop posting so much..Everytime I see your screen name I want to projectile vomit. Everyone is sick of it. Take a walk or something.
I always grouped Clint Frazier up in my mind with Bradley Zimmer & Dustin Fowler.
At this point I think Frazier is the only one of the 3 who came along roughly at the same time who will break through and be consistently productive or at least serviceable moving forward…
I think Bradley’s demands for multi years drop Dombrowski might scoop him up.
Gardy Party will be fine. Frazier has his chance to take a good step forward.
JBJ is headed for a 1 or 2 year contract at ~ $7MM AAV
Echo loudly what Joe Says…
is saying.
Right…it was brilliant to bring up someone who wasn’t even mentioned in the article or the comment thread. Not to mention hasn’t proven a damn thing on the field. The kid could be A-Rod, but just as likely could be Kevin Maitan. Let’s revisit this in 3-5 years when MLB time is actually a possibility for this kid
Get off my lawn
Ok kcj. We’ll do exactly as you say.
In many different years a free agent would be able to use being in contact with the Red Sox as a means to leverage more money out of other teams. In JBJ’s case its probably to his detriment because the Red Sox are probably not willing to go over the $4 million that the Yankees gave Gardner thus not creating a competitive market for him. Add the four year contract demand and its no mystery why Jackie is still a free agent
Rsox – Exactly. Think about how many CFers in 30 organizations can hit better than JBJ then ask yourself if a player has a slightly lower defensive rating but can hit better and costs $1M or less, why even think about JBJ? He’s being marketed like a starting center fielder because Boston cut him a break for 4 years when he had already proven he couldn’t hit. He’s a late inning defensive sub who if put in at the right time may only need to bat once at most. That’s a perfect role for an outstanding defender who simply can’t hit.
If you think he can hit, check the stats. Count up how many months he hit .240 or less during the last 8 years. That’s 48 months of games.
JBJ hit .240 or less during his first 4 seasons with Boston 14 of the 21 months he played. At that point shouldn’t a new CFer been sought out? Those are years 2013 to 2016. So did he get better in the last 4 years or continue to be bad? 11 of 21 months from 2017 through 2020 he hit under .240.
Thus, for his career he’s been under .240 25 of 42 months. I sure hope others besides me realize how ridiculous it was to waste that many at bats on a player that simply isn’t getting better. That is actually worse than watching Devers make two dozen errors for four years in row. There is no way in the world JBJ should have been starting in center fielder all those years. We just got rid of Benny who averaged an OPS+ of 111 for four season then got hurt and had a bad year. JBJ’s career OPS+ is 94!!!
Player treatment needs to be fair and equitable. JBJ like Devers has been given far too many opportunities at something that he is not good at and it’s time to correct both situations. Devers needs to find a permanent position where he doesn’t hurt the defense and the pitcher’s opportunity to win and JBJ needs to stay a free agent and realize his lack of hitting only qualifies him for a role as a late inning replacement. There is too much talent in baseball to start a player who for 8 years couldn’t hit at league average.
For fun I captured his career average and OBP by month. It reemphasizes the point that too many at bats were wasted on a great center fielder who couldn’t hit.
April – .203 average, .289 OBP
May – .244 average .342 OBP
June – .262 average .351 OBP
July – .252 average .307 OBP
Aug – .241 average .322 OBP
Sep – .228 average .312 OBP
JBJ was one of the best defensive center fielders I’ve seen in my lifetime but when you consider he made 20 errors over 8 years and compare it to league average performance which would have increased his errors to 24, was it worth the 4 errors in 8 years to have a guy hit .239 for a team annually competing for a division championship (except in 2020)?
Mookie was cast aside after hitting roughly .60 points higher than JBJ for those same 8 years. If an average outfielder bats 500 times a season (low estimate) then one guy hitting .240 like JBJ and the other guy like Mookie hitting .300 gets 30 less hits that season. Mookie is an MVP level OFer so split the difference and a .270 hitter gets 15 more hits than JBJ per year. I’ll take the extra 15 hits with one more error over the performance of a player like JBJ. Again, he’s great fun to watch but costly to put in your line-up.
Yes, I agree.
JBJ is a great defensive center fielder.
A below average hitter.
And overpaid in the past.
I blame the arbitration process.
Now JBJ is facing the real world market based arbitrator.
Can see him being worth $3-4M per year.
Think it takes time for him to accept that.
JBJ may soon see Boras is not getting him the big bucks.
Gardner sucks. Yankees should have cut dead weight
I vaguely admire those who like to shine a spotlight on their ignorance. Bravo.
It’s facts homie. Get a clue. Gardner is trash
Everyone recognizes Frazier’s glove problems…except the gold glove folks. Only reinforces that stats do not tell the whole story.
Honeywell deserves a break. I hope he can stick around, have been wanting to watch him pitch for the Rays for four years now!
The only “glove problems” Frazier has are in your mind……have you ever watched a Yankees game recently when he played…..probably not, just going with the ignorant crowd I guess……don’t agree with the Gold Glove stuff, but 2020 was a crazy short year so why not…..he’ll most likely be an average to above average left fielder who can also play right when needed but certainly he will hold his own with the glove.
For all you knuckleheads that was saying Red Thunder was a bench player last season that couldn’t field. This is F U!!! Gardy will be Frazier’s caddy now.
In 2021, third-place teams are able to justify a caddy on the roster.
So you think the Rays are going to finish 3rd? At least you are optimistic.
Reading comprehension is difficult for you, huh?
Baseball comprehension is difficult for you, huh?
Not at all. I understand it quite well, and I hope you enjoy watching Tampa Bay being perennial contenders for the foreseeable future.
Tampa will be contending for 3rd place after NY and Toronto for the foreseeable future.
Good luck, junior
Best of luck to you, sonny
Yeah JBJ, no more than a 1year @4-6m…If that.
Sorry pal but Jarren Duran really doesn’t have anything left to prove in milb. Its Time for him to sink or swim in MLB this year…probably see Downs at some point as well @2b.
What is JBJ waiting for?
@theodore glass:
What is he waiting for? Maybe waiting for some team to offer more than the $11 million/one year contract he had last year.
The author of this article said, “Bradley is unquestionably the top position player remaining in free agency at this point.”
How many free agent position players have been signed so far? Seems like there are a lot of teams who think there is a better use for their money.
The Rays frustrate those Yankee fans so much!! Those Yankee fans expect their high payroll most every year should be buying them a Championship every year!! Sorry!! It’s funny as heck hearing them whine, complain and cry about the Rays!! Total Entertainment for me!