Jackie Bradley Jr. set a Boston Red Sox record for his 478-foot home run on Tuesday. Could this be the spark needed for the Sox to make the playoffs?
According to MLB’s Ian Browne, Jackie Bradley Jr. set a Boston Red Sox record (since Statcast tracking began) with this 478-foot home run on Tuesday nights game against the Colorado Rockies.
The monster hit came in the second inning to put the Red Sox ahead 2-0, in a game that they would win 10-6. Bradley Jr.’s homer took flight in the right-center field into the third deck area.
The 29-year-old centerfielder was drafted by the Red Sox in the first round of the 2011 draft. He made his debut on April 1, 2013. He has a career .236 BA, .317 OBP, and .408 SLG. In 2019, he’s accumulated a .222 BA, .316 OBP, and .413 SLG. His batting average has progressively declined since 2016 when it was .267.
More from Red Sox News
- Boston Red Sox setting Trevor Story up for failure amidst Xander Bogaert departure
- Red Sox missed perfect free-agent signing to torment Yankees
- Red Sox finally get validation after Andrew Benintendi-White Sox contract
- Red Sox fans’ concern about Justin Turner signing speaks volumes
- Latest Red Sox-Rafael Devers contract update might be final straw for fans
Although Bradley Jr. is an integral part of the Red Sox team, he’s not renowned for his offensive abilities. Bradley Jr. is arguably one of the best centerfielders in the league. Over his 7 seasons in the majors, he’s racked up a .989 Fielding Percentage; in 1,840 Defensive Chances, he’s accumulated 1, 765 Putouts; 55 Assists; and 20 Errors.
Home runs were tracked by Statcast starting in 2015. Bradley’s recent dinger offset a record previously held by former teammate Hanley Ramirez. When Ramirez first entered the league, he had offensive power that backed him up. In 2009, he won the NL Batting Title and Silver Slugger awards in 2008 and 2009 in the NL back when he was playing for the Florida Marlins.
At the beginning of the 2015 season, Ramirez hit a 469-foot home run at Fenway Park. Ramirez had a .249 BA, .291 OBP, and .426 SLG. The stats don’t scream for a spectacular offensive season, but he was able to make a splash that year with his record.
Bradley Jr.’s home run came off a 90.7 mph fastball. It had a 30-degree launch angle and 112.1 mph exit velocity. It was in the Red Sox dugout that you could see the team relationship. The Sox are currently in a big hole, being 6 games out of the second wild-card spot. Jackie explained what he loved the most about the moment,
"“I think the best part is seeing my teammates’ reactions. It’s fun seeing their expressions and how they reacted. I think that shows how they support me and it was fun.”"
And to think it was only a few years ago when fans were demanding a Jackie Bradley Jr. trade. Since then, Bradley Jr. has been clutch in certain offensive moments. Jackie came up big offensively at the end of the 2018 season.
His three-run double in the third inning of Game 2 of the ALCS series, lifted the Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the Astros. Then there was his Game 3 ALCS grand slam against the Astros. In Game 3 of the World Series, he hit a solo home run in the 8th inning to tie the game and spark the Red Sox offense.
Bradley Jr. became consistent at the plate. He made numerous splashes when coming to the plate with 2 outs. He’s worked closely with hitting coach Tim Hyers to hone in his talents. He’ll never be on the same level as offensive greats like J.D. Martinez but he continues to come a long way. Expanding, growing, and developing his offensive talents with help from coaches and teammates.
Although he’s not normally known for his offensive powerhouse abilities, today we celebrate Bradley Jr. for his massive offensive accomplishment. Jackie is signed through 2019, is eligible for arbitration in 2020, and becomes a free agent in 2021. He’s sparked the team before and he’ll continue to do so.
This record might be the spark necessary for Bradley Jr. and the Red Sox to work together to get into the playoff picture. We have a bit of time before we have to worry about what happens to Bradley (for the record, I say the Sox should resign him). For now, let’s come together as Red Sox fans to celebrate the monumental moment and personal victory made by Bradley Jr.