Red Sox Strut: Outfielder Jackie Bradley, LHP Drew Pomeranz
By Sean Penney
Position Player who gets to Strut
It’s hard to find a hotter hitter than Jackie Bradley this month. He’s hitting .346 with a 1.023 OPS, four home runs and 14 RBI in June.
Last week, Bradley slashed .381/.480/.714, smashing a pair of home runs and a double.
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His first homer came as part of a three-hit performance in Kansas City. The two-run shot accounted for both of Boston’s runs in a 4-2 loss. Bradley homered again against the Angels on Sunday, matching the solo shot by Moreland for the team’s only runs of the day in another 4-2 loss.
The one blemish on Bradley’s week was a rare miscue in the outfield. With the score tied at two in the seventh inning against the Royals, Bradley dove for a ball that was just out his reach. No error was charged since it would have been a tremendous play had he made it. However, playing it safe by fielding the ball on a hop would have held the runner to a single. Instead, backup catcher Drew Butera rounded the bases for a triple. One batter later he would score on a base hit by Whit Merrifield to give Kansas City a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Bradley still makes more outstanding plays with his glove than mistakes. Now his bat is starting to catch up to his abilities in the field. He enters the day sporting a .269 batting average and .850 OPS, both of which surpass the career-highs he set in last year’s All-Star season.