You would've been hard-pressed to find a Boston Red Sox fan who was initially thrilled about the team's 2022 signing of outfielder Rob Refsnyder. The then-30 year old had yet to find himself through stints with five teams in the big leagues, but he achieved success in Boston.
Refsnyder began his tenure with the Red Sox on a minor league deal and eventually grew into their staple lefty masher. Despite early offseason reports that the two parties were working on another reunion, it did not come to fruition.
Refsnyder has signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners, the team announced on the afternoon of December 22. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the deal is for one year at $6.25 million.
After the Winter Meetings passed, Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe wrote that the chances of the Red Sox reuniting with Refsnyder had substantially decreased (subscription required). Boston has been picky about where it spends its money in recent years, and a 35-year-old Refsnyder doesn't align with its priorities. Plus, Romy González has also grown into a lefty killer and the Red Sox have been vocal about giving Wilyer Abreu more reps against southpaws this coming season.
Four-year Red Sox outfielder and lefty killer Rob Refsnyder signs with Mariners on one-year deal
Red Sox fans learned to love Refsnyder as he entered games in strategic moments and became one of the most reliable hitters in the lineup against lefties. It also didn't hurt that he began his MLB career with the Yankees organization — he was one of the first in a now large group of former Yankees who have found success in Boston.
Refsnyder batted .276/.364/.440 with an .804 OPS in 309 games over his four seasons with the Sox. He slashed .302/.399/.560 with a .959 OPS against left-handed pitchers. Seven of his nine home runs and 25 of his 30 RBI on the season came against lefties, when he got the vast majority of his opportunities with the Sox.
Refsnyder will be a great fit with the Mariners, who have heavily left-handed outfield and designated hitting depth: Miles Mastrobuoni, Dominic Canzone and Luke Raley are all lefties. In the Mariners' announcement of the signing, GM Justin Hollander noted that he "provides balance" to their lineup, just as he did in Boston.
Not only was Refsnyder a clutch hitter with a lefty on the mound, he was one of the Red Sox's few veterans and he served as a mentor and another coach, of sorts, in the dugout. Boston will miss his presence and his impact on the team's culture.