The New York Mets signed free-agent outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. The 34-year-old left-handed hitter had a 1.024 OPS and 12 home runs in 40 games with the Long Island Ducks of the Independent League this year and will now provide the Mets with additional outfield depth for the second half of the season. Bradley will likely report to Triple-A Syracuse. The former 40th overall pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2011 out of South Carolina hit just .133/.188/.210 with one homer, five doubles, six RBI and 10 runs scored in 43 games for the Kansas City Royals last year before being cut. Bradley was always a defense-first player in his 11 big-league seasons and will be a long shot to carve out a regular role if he even makes it back to the big leagues with the Mets to close out the 2024 season.
Free-agent outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who was one of the better defensive center fielders of his era, is expected to retire this offseason. Bradley played in 43 games for the Kansas City Royals in 2023 before being waived in June. In his 113 plate appearances, he went just 14-for-105 (.133) with a home run, five doubles, six RBI and 10 runs scored. The 33-year-old was an All-Star back in 2016 with the Boston Red Sox, when he slashed .267/.349/.486 with an .835 OPS, a career-high 26 home runs, 87 RBI and nine stolen bases in 156 games. Bradley won a Gold Glove in 2018 and will finish his 11 year big-league career with a .225 career batting average, 109 home runs, 449 RBI, 69 stolen bases and 514 runs scored in 1,181 career games with Boston, Kansas City, Toronto and Milwaukee if he indeed hangs up his cleats.
Royals Sign Jackie Bradley Jr. To Minor-League Deal
The Kansas City Royals signed free-agent outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor-league deal on Wednesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training. Bradley will be hoping to impress enough in spring training to win a spot on the Royals' Opening Day roster. He has fallen off a cliff offensively the last two seasons and hit a combined .203/.255/.311 with a .566 OPS, four home runs, 38 RBI, 30 runs scored and 77 strikeouts in 370 plate appearances over 131 games with the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in 2022. At this point in his career, the 32-year-old Bradley will provide the Royals with depth in the outfield, but he's off the fantasy radar and isn't guaranteed to begin the year in the big leagues.
The Toronto Blue Jays signed free-agent outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to an undisclosed major league deal on Tuesday, according to a source. Bradley was released by the Boston Red Sox last week after hitting just .210/.257/.321 with three home runs, 29 RBI, 21 runs scored and two stolen bases in 290 plate appearances over 91 games played. The Blue Jays could use some outfield depth with George Springer (elbow) on the injured list, especially since the left-handed hitting Bradley Springer hasn't done much at the plate in 2022. The 32-year-old can still be an asset on defense, but he has really struggled offensively the last two seasons. At best, JBJ will see at-bats against right-handers in center field until Springer returns from the IL.
Red Sox Designate Jackie Bradley Jr. For Assignment
The Boston Red Sox designated outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. for assignment on Thursday. The writing was on the wall for Bradley, who is hitting just .210/.257/.321 with three home runs, 29 RBI, 21 runs scored and two stolen bases in 271 at-bats this year, when the Red Sox traded for outfielder Tommy Pham at the deadline on Tuesday. If the 32-year-old isn't scooped up off waivers by another team, he'll return to the organization and head to the minor leagues at Triple-A Worcester. He's still useful for his glove work in the outfield, but Bradley's bat has been useless to the Red Sox and fantasy managers in 2022.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was activated from the paternity leave list ahead of his team's game against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. Bradley will start in center field and bat ninth against the Angels. The Red Sox optioned outfielder Jarren Duran back to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Bradley is off to a slow start in 2022, hitting .227 with one homer, nine runs, 20 RBI, and a steal over 150 at-bats.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was placed on the paternity list ahead of his team's Friday game against the Oakland A's. The Red Sox recalled Jarren Duran in a corresponding move to take Bradley's spot on the roster. Bradley will be out of action for the next three days, spanning all of Boston's weekend series against Oakland. The Red Sox went with Franchy Cordero in place of Bradley in the outfield for Friday's game. Bradley is hitting .227 with one homer, nine runs, 20 RBI, and a steal across 150 at-bats in 2022.
Christian Arroyo, Jackie Bradley Jr. To Platoon In Right Field
Boston Red Sox outfielders Christian Arroyo and Jackie Bradley Jr. are expected to be on a strict platoon in right field, according to manager Alex Cora. On Friday, Bradley will bat eighth and play right field versus right-hander Gerrit Cole. That is obviously not an ideal matchup for Bradley, but no one is expected to do well off an elite talent like Cole. Nonetheless, it sounds like the Red Sox are sticking to a plan of using both Arroyo and Bradley in right field. Neither has much upside with the bat, so this sounds like a wait-and-see approach for fantasy managers.
The Boston Red Sox traded outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., minor-league infielders David Hamilton and Alex Binelas. Bradley Jr. returns to Boston, where he spent the first eight years of his MLB career (2013-2020). The 31-year-old is a phenomenal defender and is expected to be Boston's everyday centerfielder, but struggles to make contact and slashed .163/.236/.261 with six home runs, 29 RBI, 39 runs scored, and seven stolen bases with a 30.8 percent strikeout rate in 134 games for the Brewers. Binelas slashed .314/.379/.636 with nine home runs in Low-A Carolina and is a few years away from making his MLB debut. Hamilton was an eighth-round pick by the Brewers in 2019, slashing .242/.318/.409 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in Double-A last season. The 24-year-old will most likely make his MLB debut sometime in 2023.
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. will pick up his $9.5 million player option for the 2022 season. Bradley and the Brewers have a $12 million mutual option for the 2023 season with an $8 million buyout. He is a Gold Glove finalist, but Bradley endured a terrible year at the plate, slashing .163/.236/.261 with six home runs in 428 plate appearances for the Brew Crew. JBJ also had career-worsts in walk rate (6.5%) and strikeout rate (30.8%). It's hard to imagine Bradley getting any worse at the plate next season, but it's hard to imagine him being very attractive in any fantasy format heading into next season.
Jackie Bradley Jr.
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Mets
