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Boston Red Sox Bring Back Versatile Outfielder on Modest Deal For 2025

Though there were some questions about his future, Rob Refsnyder will be back in Boston.

Brady Farkas

Boston Red Sox right fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) hits a home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning at Fenway Park on Sept 9.
Boston Red Sox right fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) hits a home run against the Baltimore Orioles in the eighth inning at Fenway Park on Sept 9. / David Butler II-Imagn Images
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After "flirting" with retirement earlier this season, Boston Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder will be back with the club in 2025.

The team announced that they had picked up his club option on social media. He'll make just over $2 million.

There's a few reasons why this is interesting for the Red Sox moving forward. First, Refsnyder should remain a great platoon option for the team against left-handers in 2025. He hit .302 against lefties in 2024 with eight homers and 23 RBI. He did that damage in just 126 official at-bats and constantly hits in the upper or middle part of the order against southpaws.

Furthermore, the Red Sox now have a glut of outfielders. Currently, the team has Refsnyder, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu on the roster. Top prospect Roman Anthony is also knocking on the door and Tyler O'Neill still has the opportunity to be given a qualifying offer. There's also prospective free agents like Teoscar Hernandez who could hold appeal to Boston.

While Refsnyder's presence isn't necessarily going to drive roster decisions moving forward, the team certainly does have flexibility to move an outfielder if they want to acquire a starting pitcher, which they desperately need. They could also move Refsnyder if they felt inclined. His contract is certainly very affordable for an acquiring team.

Now 33 years old, Refsnyder has spent nine years in the big leagues with the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and Red Sox. He got to Boston in 2022, making his longest tenure with any team.

Lifetime, he's a .253 hitter.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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