MLB Rumors: Jackie Bradley, Jr., and the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a two year, $24 million deal, per multiple reports. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2021 season, though I have not seen any details as to the breakdown of salary per year, and whether its a straight $12 million per year, or if there’s a larger salary in one year than in the other.
Bradley, who turns 31 in April, was a supplemental first round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 2011 (yes, the Kevin Matthews/Zach Cone draft) out of the University of South Carolina. He has been the every day center fielder for the Red Sox since 2016, the year of his lone All Star appearance, and won a Gold Glove in 2018.
Bradley appeared to be a blossoming star a few years ago, when he put up a 9.3 bWAR over the 2016-17 seasons due to stellar center field defense and a .257/.337/.447 slash line. His defense has backed up some since then, however, and before last season’s .283/.364/.450 slash line in the abbreviated season, he had been around a 90 OPS+ the previous three seasons.
Bradley profiles as an average to somewhat above average major league centerfielder, and is someone I thought the Rangers should pursue via a trade prior to the 2020 season, when we thought the Rangers had a chance to be decent. The deal would seem to result in the Brewers moving Lorenzo Cain to right field, with Christian Yelich in left field and Avisail Garcia on the bench.