By Adam Roberts – 3/4/2021
Honestly, who breaks news of a signing at 3:25 in the morning? Apparently Boston Globe beat writer Julian McWilliams, that’s who!
McWilliams broke the news very early this morning that the Red Sox would not pay center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and that he would instead sign a deal to join the Brewers. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the deal will be for two years, valued at 24 million dollars with an opt-out option after year one.
Looking at his stats, Bradley Jr. is a batter who strikes out very rarely with a career-low 22.1% K rate in 2020. He hit .283 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs, and five stolen bases last year, but is more known for his fielding abilities; the 30-year-old won a Gold Glove in 2018.
As for depth, the Brewers’ outfield now features names like Bradley Jr, Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, and Avisail Garcia. How GM David Stearns and manager Craig Counsell want to doll out starts and position assignments will be interesting to watch.