Longtime Red Sox center fielder ‘expected to retire’ (report)
Longtime Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is “expected to retire,” New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported.
The Red Sox initially drafted the 33-year-old elite defender 40th overall out of South Carolina in 2011.
Bradley won a Gold Glove in center field with the Red Sox in 2018. He was an All-Star for Boston in 2016. He also won the 2018 ALCS MVP when he crushed two homers (including one grand slam) and one double while driving in nine runs against the Astros. He had four walks and a .400 on-base percentage as Boston advanced to the World Series in five games.
In eight seasons with the Red Sox (2013-20, ‘22), Bradley batted .236 with a .315 on-base percentage, .404 slugging percentage, .719 OPS, 101 homers, 181 doubles, 24 triples and 62 stolen bases in 964 games (3,571 plate appearances). His best season came in 2016 when he batted .267 with a .349 on-base percentage, .486 slugging percentage, .835 OPS, 26 homers, 30 doubles, seven triples, 94 runs and 87 RBIs in 144 games (535 plate appearances).
Bradley posted a .225/.303/.381/.684 line with 109 homers, 204 doubles and 27 triples in 11 seasons overall with Boston, Milwaukee, Kansas City and Toronto. He had 61 defensive runs saved in 7,996 ⅔ career innings in center field. He posted 78 defensive runs saved in 9,539 ⅓ innings in all three outfield positions.
21+ and present in MA, NJ, PA, VA, MD, WV, TN, LA, KS, KY, CO, AZ, IL, IA, IN, OH, MI. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.He signed a minor league contract with the Royals last offseason and made KC’s 2023 Opening Day roster. But he struggled and Kansas City designated him for assignment June 12.
The Brewers signed Bradley to a two-year, $24 million contract before the 2021 season. Milwaukee traded him back to Boston on Dec. 2, 2022 for Hunter Renfroe. In the deal, Boston acquired David Hamilton and Alex Binelas in addition to Bradley.
