The Boston Red Sox are a relatively young team and don't have many players who will reach free agency this offseason. Rob Refsnyder is among the few Boston may want to reunite with.
Refsnyder has been one of the few veterans among the Sox's group of position players in recent years. He signed with the Red Sox before the 2022 season and reinvigorated his career in his 30s — Refsnyder batted .224/.310/.308 across five clubs from 2015-21, but he's slashed .276/.364/.440 over 309 games with the Sox.
Refsnyder, who'll be 35 just before Opening Day 2026, has weighed the possibility of retiring before then. Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reported on October 18 that the outfielder hopes to play next season, and he's already had "informal" discussions with the Red Sox about a return (subscription required).
Refsnyder posted a solid 2025 season, which likely played a part in his decision not to retire. He slashed .269/.354/.484 with an .838 OPS, 12 doubles, nine homers and 30 RBI over 70 games. He's also found an easy home in the Sox's lineup as one of the resident lefty mashers — Boston's lineup is packed with left-handed hitters, who don't always have the easiest time hitting lefty pitchers, and Refsnyder and Romy Gonzalez have helped take some of the pressure off. Refsnyder batted .302/.399/.560 with a .959 OPS over 138 plate appearances against lefties in 2025.
Red Sox and Rob Refsyder have had 'informal talks' about 2026 reunion
The Red Sox have plenty of outfielders on the roster and may have more on the way to the big leagues. Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Masataka Yoshida, top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, and maybe even Kristian Campbell could need roles in the pastures in 2026. Many reporters expect Boston to be active in the trade market, though, and its pool of outfielders could be an easy position of strength from which to deal. Duran, Abreu, Garcia and Campbell have all come up in trade rumors in the past.
Despite the outfield logjam, a reunion with Refsnyder makes sense for the Sox. He's been a platoon player since he came to Boston, so the team doesn't have to stretch or sacrifice to get him in the lineup every day. Abreu and Duran have severely struggled to hit left-handers, with .230/.299/.377 and .211/.260/.340 slash lines against them, respectively.
The Red Sox paid Refsnyder just $2.1 million for the 2025 season, which is the highest salary he's ever had during his tenure with the club. If Boston can get him to sign a similar, short-term deal, a reunion with Refsnyder should be an easy 'yes' for both sides. Not only is he an inexpensive addition to the team, he has offensive skills many of the Sox's other outfielders lack, and the Red Sox value his veteran presence and managerial attitude.