2:55pm: The Blue Jays have announced the signing, optioning utility player Otto Lopez to make space on the active roster and designating righty Matt Peacock for assignment to create space on the 40-man. Peacock was claimed off waivers from the Royals in July and has thrown ten innings for the Jays this year with a 5.40 ERA.
2:20pm: The Blue Jays are signing outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., reports Ezekiel Telemaco of WEEI. Chris Cotillo of MassLive confirmed the deal on Twitter, reporting that it’s a major league deal. The Blue Jays have a full 40-man roster, meaning a corresponding move will be required.
Bradley, 32, was just released by the Red Sox last week and will now land with their division rivals in Toronto. The defensive specialist is having yet another down season at the plate, hitting .210/.257/.321 on the year. That production is 42% below league average, by measure of wRC+. The Red Sox let rookie Jarren Duran take over the center field position in recent months, with Bradley kicked to a corner. He was further nudged out of the outfield mix when they acquired Tommy Pham at the deadline, leading to Bradley’s release.
Despite that tepid offensive production, Bradley can still provide value with his glove. Defensive Runs Saved has given him a five on the year, a drop from last year’s 12 but still quite good. Ultimate Zone Rating has given him a 4.9 on the campaign so far after a 10.7 last year. Outs Above Average has given him three on the year already, after accruing four last year. That puts him in the 84th percentile among fielders across the league this season.
The Blue Jays recently put George Springer on the injured list, but acquired Whit Merrifield at the deadline for some extra outfield depth. That gives them a current outfield rotation of Merrifield, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernandez, Raimel Tapia and Bradley Zimmer. It seems unlikely that Bradley would get regular playing time over those first four, given his struggles with the bat. Zimmer, however, has been used primarily as a defensive replacement and pinch runner, hitting a meager .107/.212/.240 when in the lineup this year for a wRC+ of just 28. Perhaps the Blue Jays view Bradley as a better option for that defensive replacement and pinch runner position.
Bradley has shown more promise with the bat in the past, putting up a batting line of .283/.364/.450 as recently as 2020, producing a wRC+ of 119 in the shortened season. It was on the heels on that strong campaign that the Brewers signed him to a two-year, $24MM deal. However, Bradley struggled in his first year outside of Boston, hitting just .163/.236/.261. He was traded back to the Red Sox in the offseason, along with two prospects, while Hunter Renfroe went to Milwaukee. Though Bradley hasn’t been as bad as he was last year, it was still enough to get released. The Red Sox will still be on the hook for the bulk of his contract, with the Blue Jays only having to pay the prorated league minimum, which be subtracted from what Boston pays.
Temporary defensive upgrade. Hopefully Jackie isn’t expecting a 4 year deal out of this.
A three year will do.
With the other hitters on this team, they can sacrifice an at bat. Good pick up.
I don’t think you’re supposed to call anyone Jackie.
Just call him Bradley
Indeed, MLB has retired the name for good.
Doesn’t Bradley Zimmer have a faster sprint speed and play a better center field? If the Jays have two of these guys, they are in big trouble.
Have to assume that he would be taking Zimmers roster spot.
But JBJ provides less value (more negative value) than Zimmer so even that is a bad move. Neither should ever start a game but Zimmer can PR/ be a defensive replacement better. Atkins should have obviously got a league average bat for the bench but he was sleeping.
Jackie is credited with 3 Outs Above Average to Zimmer’s 1 OAA, and even his awful offensive stats are better than Zimmer’s.
But they’re both Bradleys, so there’s that, I guess.
Zimmer is batting .083 since June 1. JBJ is batting .200. The Blue Jays are on the hook for just the league minimum for JBJ. They’re both above average defenders, but I’d still give the edge to JBJ. Even if Zimmer could be used more as a pinch runner, you can’t tell me he is more valuable than JBJ would be at this point, I don’t care what metric you’re using…
I don’t think you should worry this much about Zimmer. If they feel JBJ offers them something a bit more than so be it.
If either of them have more than 10 AB’s down the stretch it’s a disaster
Can I be a Bradley when I grow up? I wanna play baseball too
Sprint speed doesn’t necessarily translate to baserunning, which is a big deal in the post season, bigger with the new’ish extra inning rules. As far as analytics goes, they aren’t science so much as educated guesses (or when they try to reduce it all to a single number, a complete joke). I think the coaching staff probably has a better idea of who is the better center fielder.
Why not give Nathan Lukes a shot? Dude is 4th in AVG. In AAA and can steal a base. Knocked the cover off the ball in the Spring. Deserves a shot. Better than Zimmer and JBJ. Give the guy a chance, he deserves it. Not even a call up at any point. What a joke.
Not to mention he bats left. What are we doing here?
Jackie Bradley Jr has a much longer track record of success in the majors, I’d take whatever you get out of him over zimmer.
Does this mean that they’re now on the hook for his potential buyout for next year or does that stay with the Red Sox?
I’d imagine the Jays aren’t on the hook. Would make an iffy signing look really silly.
The $8M buyout stays with the Red Sox too, but that was accounted for in 2022 (for CBT purposes) so it will be a cash outlay only with no impact on the 2023 CBT.
They signed him to a new contract. Whatever he had with the Redsox is Boston’s problem.
The Red Sox are on the hook for JBJ and Sale.
Thank you Captain Obvious. And Padres are on the hook for Hosmer. It happens all the time.
Why the snark? Just answering someone’s question.
I’d love to read one thread on this website without namecalling or similar nastiness.
I second this
Who else could possibly be on the hook for Chris Sale?
You have to stay out of the Red Sox team comments….
Those fans are more snarky and hateful than usual rn
One of the first comments you see on Chris Sales broken wrist story, go take a look:
“What a LOSER this guy is. Retire already you skinny punk.”
We have good reason to be snarky. You says its Boston fans, I say its everyone at MLBTR.
Also, still no reason given to why Sale was added to LouHoltz comment. At the very least, thats ‘Piling On’.
I try to be nice but everyone is so stupid.
I remember when we played the Red Sox in a playoff series, our stadium was flooded with drunken idiots, and not the fun type.
Wow lotta hate here at MLBTR for a “Captain Obvious” comment. . You guys sure you know who the “spiteful and hateful” ones are? Moral High Ground youre not on.
Go getem Marvin
Cut us a little slack. Chris Sale’s not mentioned this article at all and we just got word he’s not coming back, AGAIN. We could be a little sensitive and it’s understandable I would think.
A little Snappy come back and that’s all. We’re Brothers here and fans of the same sport and supporting MLB. It’s all good.
Don’t mind this, Bradley gives them a good defender off the bench who replaces Bradley “batting average below .100” Zimmer. Bradley can still be a decent 4th outfielder.
Especially playing in the AL East. He knows this division as well as anyone, and can play any outfield position in those stadiums as well as anyone.
JBJ will find his way into the lineup as a defensive replacement and as a fourth outfielder. He’s actually an offensive upgrade over the current occupant of that role (Zimmer).
Bradley Zimmer to me has been a fantastic addition to the Blue Jays. He’s such a great defender, he’s tall, an extremely good runner.. Great to have players like that for late game defensive purposes, pinch running, etc. The bat obviously isn’t there, but I like what he brings to the Jays a lot. Really don’t see a point of bringing on JBJ to do what Zimmer already does, I hope it’s not at the expense of Zimmer.
I love tall .107 hitters. They’re much more “fantastic” than short guys that hit .300. smh
That might be the most positive description of Zimmer since his rookie season.
Both are #25 on the 25 man roster at this point.
Are you his dad?
He is decent defensively but there are probably 200 guys in the minors that can hit better than him. I have seen enough
Have you watched one of his at bats? They would be better offletting Dan Shulman hit instead of Zimmer. Sure he’s good defensively and he’s fast, but you need to be able to not be an automatic out if you’re going to stick in the MLB, even on the bench.
No idea about the defensive metrics, but from the eye test, to me he’s one of the best in baseball defensively in CF. I like Zimmer.. His value is underrated, strictly my opinion though.. obviously.
This was the funniest thing I’ve read in a while. Love your positivity on one of the worst offensive baseball players I can ever recall in a Jays uniform.
For his role I really like the dude. We’re a much better team defensively when he’s out there. Does anybody know his current war ? I’m truly curious… lol. Someone please tell me… he’s got a god awful batting line, we’ve established that already, but that defense and athleticism helps the team win..
Zimmer is very far from a great defender, he just looks like one compared to everybody else the Jays have run out there in CF. From the eye test, I’ve seen him make numerous mistakes in CF. And if 2 stolen bases all season makes him a great runner, your standards are a bit low there too. JBJ can easily replace both, and actually make contact on occasion too.
Not just about base stealing, but actual running the bases. Teoscar is a great base runner as well, and doesn’t really get much stolen bases.
There’s a difference between quickness and top end speed
Agree Dusty.
JBJ must be happy. At least now he gets to play for a team that may make the playoffs. That’s something that isn’t happening in Boston.
This year. But I would consider the Red Sox a winning franchise and Jackie Bradley Jr has been part of a lot of winning with the Boston Red Sox so go ahead and kick while we are down. Things could change soon.
Definitely made sense with Springer out.
Nah
Clearly a blocking move to prevent the Yankees from snagging him to plug the hole left by Carpenter’s injury.
And Red Sox fans appreciate that. If both he and Benintendi were on the Yankees at the same time, we’d all lose our minds.
Jackie’s offensive numbers look even better in Canada due to the exchange rate. He’s batting .250 Canadian on the season.
Bradley taking Zimmer’s spot?
I wish the RS had kept JBJ and sent Duran to AAA, but that said, aren’t Tapia, Bradley and Bradley all similar players? All three lefty outfielders with negative WARs?
Tapia is kind of unique, but Bradley and Bradley are so similar that people often mistake them for being the same person.
Zimmer and JBJ on the same active roster. Yikes.
Don’t put JBJ in the same league as Zimmer
because Zimmer belongs in little league, selling ice cream to the kids.
at least JBJ can play baseball.
I had thought that he may have ended up in Houston
Why is it the minute I heard JBJ was being released I immediately said the Jays would pick him up?
While an upgrade to Zimmer, can’t imagine him being nothing more than a late-innings defensive sub or pinch runner.
Hopefully they can at least get JBJ2020 for the close of the season.
This will come back to bite us.
LOL
Shapiro finally has money to spend. Now he signs the types of player he used to in Cleveland, but he knows when they officially break down he can afford to let them go, eat the salary, and sign another like guy.
I guess the next best thing to landing Soto is JBJ.
Shifting deck chairs on the titanic. And lousy deck chairs they are too. # BlueJays
Good!
i can usually lie to myself and tell myself what i wanna hear pretty easily, but this deal i cant think of 1 reason why it makes sense, from any standpoint,
perhaps it’s just personal growth that you are seeing through your lies more easily today… there’s no shame in becoming wiser
truth if either bradley or Zimmer are playing regularly The jays are in big trouble..
Perfect, now we have 7 outfielders, no LH bullpen, and need at least 2 starters. Great start to August Shatkins.
Weak trade deadline aside, I think Atkins and Shapiro have made decent moves to help the club. Can we finally do away w this Shatkins nonsense?
Perfect, now we have 7 outfielders, no LH bullpen, and need at least 2 starters. Great start to August.
Does anyone else remember when the Red Sox outfield was feared?
sure, but 1979 was a long time ago
Massive, titanic, stupendous upgrade over Zimmer,
but then again, so would I