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Red Sox: Free-agent targets Boston needs to be contenders in 2021

By Justin Absten

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 12: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox pops out in the third inning during a MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 12, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 12: Brock Holt #12 of the Boston Red Sox pops out in the third inning during a MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 12, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Red Sox OF Kevin Pillar
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 29: Kevin Pillar #5 of the Boston Red Sox at bat against the New York Yankees during the third inning of a Grapefruit League spring training game at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 29, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Red Sox should bring back Kevin Pillar

As Jackie Bradley Jr.’s free agency approaches, it is time to move on from the veteran outfielder. Although he holds a great deal of sentimental value across Red Sox Nation (on top of being one of the league’s best defensive outfielders), Bradley Jr. is simply not worth his projected 2-year, $20 million deal.

His situation is eerily similar to that of Nathan Eovaldi, whose deal was in big part a result of the sentimental value attached to his 2018 World Series performance. Unlike the Red Sox of 2019, let Bradley Jr. walk to Houston.

This decision should be even simpler for Boston seeing as former Red Sox  outfielder Kevin Pillar is once again on the free agent market this year. During his 2019 season with Boston, Pillar played in 30 games where he saw a batting line of .274/.325/.470 with four home runs and 13 RBI.

Look, I understand how special Bradley Jr. has been for this team over the past eight years, but he is all defense and little more. He is a career .239 hitter who, although valuable, is simply not worth $10 million a year.

Pillar is a good defender, and has proven how good he can be at Fenway Park. Even better is that he will cost the Red Sox half of what Bradley Jr. is asking for, with Pillar’s projected deal being 1-year, $5 million. It may not be easy convincing Pillar to come back to Fenway after being traded away from the team so quickly, but if he’s willing to come back there is no reason Chaim Bloom should not make him Bradley Jr.’s replacement.

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