Rob Refsnyder turns 34 next March, and the utilityman is considering calling it a career after the 2024 season comes to an end. Speaking with Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, Refsnyder said he is “undecided” about returning for what would be his tenth MLB season, and was even thinking about retirement even before he joined the Red Sox during the 2021-22 offseason. Once this year is over, Refsnyder said he’ll “take it step by step from there and decide what I do….You can still make a big impact not being in a uniform and it’s a lot easier for your family and their schedule.”
As per the terms of the contract extension Refsnyder signed in June 2023, the Sox hold a $2MM club option ($150K) on his services for 2025. This option looks like a lock to be exercised if Refsnyder wishes to keep playing, as he has an excellent .298/.384/.472 slash line over 251 plate appearances in part-time duty for the Red Sox this season. Still, Refsnyder is eager to spend more time with his family, and is perhaps keen to start working towards his longer-term goal of working in a front office.
Other items from around the AL East…
- Bue Jays manager John Schneider gave MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson and other reporters an update on Bo Bichette, noting that the shortstop has started to increase baseball activities while working out at the Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin. A timeline isn’t yet in place this early in Bichette’s recovery from a right calf strain, as the club will monitor his progress in the coming days or weeks before deciding on a possible rehab assignment. Bichette suffered the calf strain on July 19 in Toronto’s 5-4 loss to the Tigers, continuing an all-around disastrous season that has seen Bichette bat only .223/.276/.321 over 330 plate appearances. The former All-Star’s struggles are one of several reasons why the Blue Jays are out of the playoff race, and if Bichette isn’t showing progress in relatively short order, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Jays just shut him down for the remainder of the season.
- 2024 is the last guaranteed season of the six-year, $24MM extension Brandon Lowe signed with the Rays prior to Opening Day 2019, but Tampa still has a pair of club options ($10.5MM with a $1MM buyout for 2025, $11.5MM for 2026 with a $500K buyout) covering Lowe’s immediate future. “Whether they pick up the option or they don’t, I feel like I’m putting myself in a good position to still be on a team next year,” Lowe told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, but Lowe noted that playing with the Rays “is all I know. I like it here. My friends are here. We have a house here. It’s comfortable. I don’t know anything else. I know this.” Given how the Rays dealt a number of higher-priced veterans at the deadline, Topkin figures that Lowe’s continued presence on the roster means that the team will exercise the 2025 option and keep Lowe in Tampa Bay for an eighth season. Lowe is more than doing his part at the plate to sway the Rays’ mind, as he is hitting .248/.330/.488 with 14 homers over 282 PA.
- Danny Coulombe is “on track” in his rehab process and is aiming to return in late September, the Orioles left-hander told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. Coulombe is on the 60-day IL after undergoing surgery in June to remove bone spurs from his left elbow. While he is still a few weeks away from getting onto a mound, Coulombe is up to throwing from 90 feet in games of catch. The Orioles’ bullpen has struggled badly in August, leaving Baltimore in even greater need for whatever the ace setup man can provide whenever he is able to return to action.
- The Yankees activated catcher Jose Trevino from the 10-day injured list on Friday, and Carlos Narvaez was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Yesterday’s game marked Trevino’s first action since a left quad strain forced him out of the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Orioles on July 12. Trevino figures to resume his catching platoon with Austin Wells, though Wells’ hot bat over the last month might have earned him a larger share of the playing time.
First time hearing Ref could retire. Strange but if he gets the opportunity, his reasoning is sold and it’s not like he’d be leaving big money on the table. He’s betting on himself and his future. Combine that with family thoughts and it’s just another reason to be impressed with him. Imagine going from being the butt of jokes while not developing as a Yankee to being one of the top righty platoon player in the game. Good for him!
Contract extension tactic possibly?
Thinking not. not every person is out for every nickel they can get by any means. Ref has just said he’s looking forward to spending time with his family. Some who have made decisions, in the game for example choose to play as close to home for example. Some also don’t give a flip. it’s values for some, nothing but money to others.
Can get an idea by looking over who represents each player. Some agencies have a reputation.
Not a ploy. I said previously they should extend him. Perhaps it’s been discussed and this is what came out of it. He’ll have no problem getting another deal after next year but it’s a question of where he wants his family.
dewey- I agree with you. Ref’s been a pro’s pro on these dumpster fires of teams. I hope that his professionalism has rubbed off on the young talent they have.
While I’m all for getting rid of dead weight contracts and let the walkers walk, Ref’s the exception. I’d love to have him back either as a player or player/coach.
Yeah, I’m in the camp that he doesn’t like the $2MM club option for 2025 and he’s going to use this as an opportunity to try and negotiate a better deal. He’s probably “only” made three or four million as a major leaguer, so walking away from $2MM next year and another year of service time at 34 makes little sense. He’s going for extra money at this stage.
Lord, he may be looking to go “upstairs” and do less travel as the story indicates. Setting his future is planning. While you can be right, I don’t see this as his best option negotiations wise as he gains nothing in my view. The team calls his bluff and then what?
Dewey – agreed. Refsnyder has already made $5,450,000, and the $1,800,000 for 2024 is by far the most he has made! He is not bluffing to get more money. The article said he was contemplating retiring a couple years ago. This year Refsnyder has set a bunch of career highs, and he could not get a better situation than with the Red Sox. Refsnyder is a 4th outfielder, and he knows it. I take him at his word. I also retired early to spend more time with my kids!
Why not both? I.e. the family/front office desires are real, and he’s willing to go that direction early if he’s not paid what he thinks he deserves. Negotiation tactic yes, willing to retire yes.
The Red Sox already have Abreu, Duran, Rafaela, O’Niell (FA but good fit to re-sign), Anthony on the way,… I do not see much ‘leverage’ to ask for more money, and $2,000,000 is definitely good money for a 5th outfielder on an MLB team.
Add Kristian Campbell is plowing through the minors as a right handed outfielder with power. A lot of these very highly regarded prospects will be arriving next season. The 2025 season will season at least as many rookies contribute as 2024: Abreu, Rafaela, Hamilton, Booser, Sogard……
Injuries happen and prospects become suspects when put under pressure. There will be room for Ref regardless of the youngsters as I doubt the team will re-sign O’Neil.
Dewey – Absolutely agree. Refsnyder is a role player who is great at what he does, and is a team leader. If he wants to play in 2025, I am sure the Red Dox would love to have him! My response was to VLTC who thinks Refsnyder is using his desire to be with his family as leverage for more money, and I completely disagree.
So it’s just a coincidence he comes out with the non-statement of ‘undecided’ while at peak value and facing an undervalued team option? Maybe. But like every other human on the planet, he will do a cost-benefit analysis on whether to take a job and he’s obviously signaling he’s open for the right benefit.
And more power to him. Love Ref, and wish him the best, including future front office work.
Wells better not platoon with Trevino. He should start and Trevino can slide into a traditional backup catcher role.
Boone has already said Wells will be the starter.
Yeah saw that but… He seems to love his Vets. We’re still enjoying regular doses of DJ Le-Groundout.
Wells will need to rest a couple days a week as a catcher, so I suspect it will be five on for Wells and two off every seven days. Perhaps Cole wants him as his personal catcher, so there’s one start a week right there., Trevino is hitting league average, which is excellent for a catcher, and remains the best pitch framer in the league. Not exactly a bad second catcher to have.
How is Refsnyder a “utility man”
He’s an outfielder.
And an infielder.
He hasn’t played anything but outfield since 2016, You know, almost a decade ago
Did you write the article?
That’s not true. He played more 1B than OF in 2020. Small sample size, of course, but so is everything about his career.
Oh, you’re shtick is so adorable.
@myaccount.
He wasn’t playing ML baseball in 2020. That’s what we are talking about BTW.
Actually I was wrong about 2020.
But there are a whole lot of you that need to google “utilityman” and you’re one of em.
He played infield in 2020
And he hasn’t since.
Probably because he is platooned a ton depending on the pitcher
Like since he is right handed he faces left handed pitching a lot
He’s played every position except for pitcher, catcher and shortstop. Meaning he’s available. If the manager chooses not to use him, that’s out of Rob’s control.
Would you call someone a catcher who hadn’t caught in 10 years?
Wait. don’t answer that.
He played an inning at third base 8 years ago and hasn’t since.
He played 119 innings at 2b in 2017 and hasn’t since.
He played 20 innings at first four years ago and hasn’t since.
Don’t know how to break it to you. Refsnyder is, and has been, an outfielder for 4 years now.
Refsnyder should play one more season just for the pension.
Makes sense but it’s not like he’ll be out of baseball not making any wage.
@Mickey
Can I please get a mute too? Thank you. Have a nice day.
It would be his 10th season, but he has clocked 5+ years of service time. I think that the pension is based off of service time but I could be mistaken.
Correct. Full pensions vest at 10 years of service time. He would have to play a few more years to get to the 10 year mark and it doesn’t sound like he’s interested in that
He’s already past age 33. I’m not sure his skills etc is the type of profile to still play out till age 38/39.
He hasn’t made a ton of money by mlb standards, but, he’s done well compared to the average American.
I say good for him to really think about what he wants and the whole quality of life side of things. All those years of athletic activity take a toll on the joints and such over time too. $2 million is still a lot of money for a guy who has had his earning profile, but, by the time you factor in taxes and costs in maintaining extra residence, so on so forth… doing what makes you happy is more important.
That’s why I’m not buying what he’s selling. This is an attempt to renegotiate the club option for 2025. He wants more than $2MM. He’ll have six years of service time after this season, and really hasn’t made that much over his career, so giving up another year of service time and $2MM doesn’t add up. Family? If he thinks he’s going to be able to spend more family time as a member of some front office, he doesn’t know the hours those people put in. He’ll be back in 2025, likely at a higher salary and another year tacked on.
He wants to transition to a front office role which would still pay him pretty well. The vested pension isn’t happening and he knows that so maybe he’s tired of the grind and would prefer an office job. Who knows…
I still don’t think it’s the strategy to use but I’m all for extending one or two years. It still won’t break the bank because of his lack of power. I just think he was asked and answered honestly.
Ah, thank you for that info. I thought 10 seasons and you’re good. Wow.
The only question is whether Ref will go into 2030 HOF as only the second unanimous player ever.
There is a bit of irony that the fanbase that used to criticize Refsnyder the most, saying he had no talent, are the ones who now love him. I mean, that’s baseball fandom in a nutshell!
Exactly. How the other half of the joke, Blake Swihart would love to have had Ref’s career.
He so good that all the dead hof voters are planning to come back as zombies so he can get 100% plus on the day he retires.
He’s too close to 10 yrs of service. I say he plays in 2025 even if not a whole season. That 10 yrs is a big deal and improves the retirement long term.