Boston Red Sox: Possible Jackie Bradley Jr. trade destinations
The Boston Red Sox could possibly trade Jackie Bradley Jr. this offseason. If they do, where will he go?
An early exit from the postseason should mean an active offseason for the Boston Red Sox. Many uncertainties lie ahead, including an offense which lacked power in 2017. They’re already rumored to have interest in slugger J.D. Martinez. Before they sign him, Boston may want to consider trading one of their other outfielders. Most notably, Jackie Bradley Jr. looks like the odd man out.
Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi aren’t going anywhere. Betts is a potential MVP with Benintendi viewed as an equally as important piece to the Red Sox future. Bradley Jr. is far more expendable and the guy we should expect shopped this winter.
Many may recall how tough it was for Bradley Jr. to establish himself in the big leagues. He hit below the Mendoza Line through his first 500+ at-bats. It wasn’t until 2015 when he finally began to show promising signs. Bradley Jr. rediscovered his ability to hit home runs after knocking only one in 2014 with 423 opportunities to do so.
The 2016 season was the year when Bradley Jr. finally proved he belonged in MLB. During his 636 plate appearances, Bradley Jr. hit 26 home runs and slashed .267/.349/.486. A 29-game hitting streak early in the year provided him with the chance to finish the season with multiple career-bests.
In this most recent season, the Boston Red Sox center fielder saw his batting line drop to .245/.323/.402. Still, he managed to hit 17 home runs and provide Boston with reliable defense. This and more make him a desirable trade chip.
Should the Boston Red Sox decide to trade Bradley Jr., where could he end up?
Oakland Athletics
A center fielder has been a need for the Oakland Athletics for quite some time. They’ve recently employed veterans Coco Crisp and Rajai Davis at the position, but neither was more than a temporary solution. Although Bradley Jr. is no spring chicken, he’s a controllable guy, even the Athletics can afford.
One thing the Athletics would appreciate about Bradley Jr. is his defense. At a place like the Oakland Coliseum, it’s important to have a center fielder with a good glove. Bradley Jr. is a well above-average defender who should continue to steal away many hits.
As for his bat, that’s an upgrade for the Athletics over what they have recently experienced. Although his overall 2016 numbers slant positively due to his amazing spring, Bradley Jr. had another fine year in 2017. He’s not someone who will hit much better than .260, but he will draw his share of walks. He’s not exactly Joey Votto, but he’s also no Adam Jones when it comes to plate discipline.
If the Athletics are interested in competing at all in the next few seasons, they might be able to grab a solid center field option for cheaper than he’s worth. Bradley Jr. already has the winning experience and could bring some of that to the locker room for a quick turnaround in Oakland.
Seattle Mariners
Not all destinations for Bradley Jr. require going through a rebuild. The Seattle Mariners will also need a center fielder this offseason. After failing to crack the postseason again in 2017, it’s important Seattle does whatever it can to end the longest drought in MLB.
The Mariners don’t have many really great center field options next year. Ben Gamel may play left field and Mitch Haniger could again start in right field. Their inexperience is a little questionable so to add Bradley Jr. into the mix might make things a bit better.
The downside to Bradley Jr. in a Mariners’ uniform is that he doesn’t provide them with something they should look for in whomever it is they choose: stolen bases. Last season’s starting center fielder Jarrod Dyson led the team with 28. Second baseman Jean Segura did steal a solid 22. Seattle cannot depend on him to completely carry the team in the speed department.
If the Mariners spend big this year in free agency it should be on starting pitching. They can get a good first baseman for a bargain contract and can also upgrade center field for the reasonably priced Bradley Jr. Thanks to the arbitration process, the Mariners can keep Bradley Jr. for a low-cost for three more seasons and give them some stability in center field.
After so many years of Ken Griffey Jr. manning center field, why not try another guy who shares a name with his father?
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers are unlikely to bring back 2017 center fielder Carlos Gomez. Since they are expected to compete in 2018, it would make sense to target Bradley Jr. as a bargain with talent.
The Rangers are a team rumored to have interest in free agent Lorenzo Cain. However, their greatest need is starting pitching. Rather than sign an aging player whose speed is one of his greatest assets, the Rangers may need to explore a trade. Bradley Jr. may soon become available. When he does, they need to jump on a deal.
As emphasized previously, the Boston Red Sox aren’t going to ask a whole lot for Bradley Jr. While they won’t shortchange themselves in a trade, it’s not a ridiculous price tag. The Rangers should still have enough on the farm to get it done. In fact, I could see it costing a single minor leaguer.
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One downside to this would be that the Rangers may prefer a right-handed hitter. If so, they can solve this by adding one at another position. We should expect at least a few position battles in Texas this spring with someone like Delino DeShields Jr. hoping to earn even more playing time. The Rangers have already moved on from Mike Napoli and cannot wait until Shin-Soo Choo’s contract expires. Bradley Jr. may need to endure a slight rebuild, but could soon experience playoff baseball in the Lone Star State.