Red Sox Fan-Favorite Returning On $2M Deal After Retirement Rumors

It sounds like the Red Sox fan-favorite is coming back to Boston in 2025

April 13, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; A general view of empty seats on opening day at Fenway Park prior to a game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have had to start making decisions already and are bringing back a fan-favorite for the 2025 season.

Boston landed outfielder Rob Refsnyder ahead of the 2022 season, and he has responded with the best three-year stretch of his nine-year big league career. Refsnyder has been given a bigger opportunity with the Red Sox than he had elsewhere and he has shined specifically against left-handed pitching.

It was up in the air if the 33-year-old would play in 2025 with some retirement rumors out there. But it seems like he will, and the Red Sox picked up his $2.1 million option for the 2025 campaign, according to the Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

"The team did make a move to retain a valuable platoon contributor, exercising a $2.1 million option to bring back outfielder Rob Refsnyder," Speier said. "Though Refsnyder mentioned the possibility of retiring during the season, the Sox confirmed that the 33-year-old – who hit .283/.359/.471 in 2024, including a .302/.393/.548 line against lefties while also continuing his role as a key veteran voice in the clubhouse – will play next year."

Refsnyder has developed into a fan-favorite in Boston and a very solid contributor on the field. He slashed .283/.359/.471, as Speier mentioned, but also clubbed a career-high 11 home runs and drove in 40 runs in just 93 games played.

He has been much more than the Red Sox could've expected. Now, he will be back with the club for at least one more year.

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