*Photo from The Athletic*
The Milwaukee Brewers are stockpiling themselves quite an outfield. They already have Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, and Avisail Garcia, 3 top tier outfielders, and they just added another one to the group. The Brewers have signed OF Jackie Bradley Jr to a two year, $24 million deal, according to Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. There is an opt out after the first year of the deal. If Bradley does not exercise his opt out, there is a mutual option for the 2023 season that could max the deal at 3 years and $28 million. Milwaukee has confirmed the deal.
Bradley spent the 2020 season, and the first 8 years of his career, patrolling center field for the Boston Red Sox. Hitting wise, he posted a .283 average with an .814 OPS in 2020, hitting 7 homers and driving in 22 runs in 55 games played for the Red Sox. In his 8 big league seasons, Bradley has an average of .239, with a .732 OPS, hitting 98 homers and driving in 376 runs in 873 games so far.
Bradley has regularly appeared on highlight reels throughout his career, making several spectacular grabs in center field, with a 2018 gold glove to show for it. Despite the 2020 season being a short one, it was one of Bradley's best years hitting wise, with his .283 batting average the highest of his career. Bradley has always been a defense first player, and has also been selected to the 2016 all star game, and has the 2018 ALCS MVP in his trophy case, along with a world series title that same year.
Brewers manager Craig Counsell talked about the necessity of good defense, saying in a press conference that "One of the ways we’re going to prevent runs is with defense this year. We've invested in that this year. There’s scoring runs and there’s preventing runs, and we’re going to try to be really good at preventing runs this year. Clubs have strengths in different places, and defense needs to be a strength for us to be successful."
With no DH in the NL this season, there is quite a logjam in the Brewers outfield, as Bradley has only played center field, except on a certain few occasions where he played the corners. Cain is able to play the corners more often, but Counsell said he wanted Cain to stick to center field, and that, along with Yelich and Garcia on the corners, makes for some interesting playing time decisions for Counsell as he tries to spread the wealth equally.
However, Garcia and Cain have dealt with some injuries at the start of spring training, although it is not known the seriousness or extent of them. Counsell did mention that Bradley's signing would allow the Brewers to play the long game and safe rehab for Garcia and/or Cain, as they also have a wealth of outfield depth.
Bradley joins a loaded Brewers outfield that includes Yelich, Garcia, Cain, and an army of non roster players vying for a reserve role, such as Derek Fisher, Billy McKinney, Corey Ray, and Tyrone Taylor. The Brewers also added Kolten Wong to the infield picture this offseason.
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