This has to be the slowest-developing offseason in Major League Baseball history. But, in all fairness, this was expected given the Covid-19 pandemic and how it affected all team's economics, as well as the uncertainty regarding the start of next season. But with Opening Day just around the corner, there's still a handful of players that could provide a huge boost to a contending team, with former Boston Red Sox Jackie Bradley Jr at the top of that list. Right now, however, his future is still up in the air.
While he's not the superstar George Springer is and thus can't expect to sign that kind of a deal, Bradley Jr is a more than capable offensive player and a top-notch defender that could play on any spot on the outfield.
Then again, it seems like he's asking for a long-term deal and teams are wary of committing that much money and time for aging players unless they're bonafide stars like DJ LeMahieu or the aforementioned Springer.
Red Sox, Giants, And Astros Want To Sign Jackie Bradley Jr
So, now that the New York Mets no longer seem like a possibility for Bradley Jr, Buster Olney of ESPN revealed that the Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, and Houston Astrosare now at the top of the race for his services.
"Speculation among agents on the players' side about where Jackie Bradley Jr. could land, based on need:1. Astros 2. Giants 3. Red Sox, if his price falls to a place that makes him attractive to them, like what happened with Ozuna/Braves," he tweeted.
The Mets could still make a late push to try and sign him after striking out on Springer, given the fact that they're also in need of some depth in the outfield, while the Astros could be quite aggressive in their pursuit of a new outfielder to replace George's production, so expect a deal to be made rather sooner than later.
