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 Astros are 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.

Then again, there’s a guy no one seems to be talking about even thoughhe could be a major boost for any contending team: Jackie Bradley Jr, who’s unlikely to come back to the Boston Red Sox.

Jackie Bradley Jr was supposed to be one of the first stars off the board in the offseason. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and its toll on the league’s economics has made that quite tricky, as he wants to sign a long term deal, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Jackie Bradley Jr Is Unwilling To Sign A Short-Term Contract

“It seems Bradley and agent Scott Boras are hoping to leverage strong demand into a much longer deal than might have been anticipated. Bradley is “seeking a significant contract, perhaps beyond four years. Reaching a contract of that duration would be quite the achievement, particularly in this market. Bradley is a quality performer who’d fit quite a few rosters, but there was little reason entering the winter to think he’d have a shot at a deal past two or three guaranteed seasons,” read the report.

Bradley Jr was tied to the New York Mets after they struck out on George Springer. However, if the Mets are to make a run at Trevor Bauer as expected, there isn’t going to be much money to give him on a long term deal, so we’ll have to wait and see how this situation unfolds.

The Mets would have money to spend on an offseason that would see most teams taking a cautious approach after the losses of the Covid-19 pandemic. Needless to say, that made them frontrunners to land pretty much every single big name available.

Thus far, however, the Mets have used their money wisely, landingFrancisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco in a trade and using a more of a ‘wait-and-see’ approach regarding other top-notch names in the market.

And, among all the stars that are still up for grabs and have been tied to a move to Queens over the past couple of weeks, Trevor Bauer and Jackie Bradley Jr seem like the most realistic targets.

New York Mets May Not Be Able To Sign Jackie Bradley Jr

Nonetheless, Connor Byrne of MLB Trade Rumors believes that they just won’t be able to sign Bradley Jr right now. They could only pursue Bauer – who’s also been sought-after by the Los Angeles Dodgers – if they sign the outfielder to a short-term deal, which is not what he’s looking for:

“As for Bradley, the Mets are more focused on a short-term deal, whereas the 30-year-old may want a longer pact, (Andy)Martino suggests. The longtime member of the Red Sox is clearly the top center fielder left on a market that lost George Springer to the Blue Jays last week, so he may be in better position to secure a large guarantee,” read the report.

Should they strike out on Bradley Jr as they did with Springer, look for them to be quite active in trade talks as they still need to reinforce their outfield. As for Bauer, no one seems to know where he actually wants to be.

After changing their management, the two-time World Series champions are ready to have a very entertaining season and they’re making the right moves to become one of the best squads in the National League.

They missed out on the chance to land George Springer after the right fielder signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and now the Mets have work to do to find the right piece for their lineup this upcoming campaign.

New York Mets could land Jackie Bradley Jr

Mike Puma of The New York Post reveals that Jackie Bradley Jr could be the Mets’ new target for this offseason. He is not George Springer but the player can make a good addition to the team, although his fit with the team will be very the hardest part of this move.

The Mets, in search of improved defense at the position, have continued talks in recent days with Bradley’s camp, according to multiple sources, after Springer’s decision last week to accept a six-year offer from the Blue Jays worth $150 million.

Bradley, 30, slashed .283/.364/.450 last season for the Red Sox, who remain in the mix to re-sign him, according to reports. The Astros and Giants have also been linked to Bradley, who won a Gold Glove with the Red Sox in 2018.

But Bradley is hardly an ideal fit for the Mets given that he bats left-handed and would be playing in an outfield that also includes lefty swingers Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo.

This could be an interesting addition for the Mets, but as Puma explained, they already have three left-handed players on the outfield. Bradley Jr has been good for the Red Sox and according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, they still have hopes to re-sign the player but the Mets could ruin their plans.