Former Red Sox champion lands with new team

Aug 22, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (19) reacts after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

A half-decade after winning the World Series with the Boston Red Sox, one veteran player is heading to a very different situation.

The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday that they have agreed to sign outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor league contract. The deal comes with an invite to Major League Spring Training.

Bradley, 32, was a big fan favorite during his eight seasons with the Red Sox from 2013 to 2020. He made an All-Star team in 2016, won a Gold Glove in 2018, and was also part of Boston’s 2018 World Series team (earning ALCS MVP after producing multiple clutch hits against the Houston Astros). After spending the 2021 season with the Milwaukee Brewers, Bradley returned to Boston in 2022. But he was released in August and finished out the season with the Toronto Blue Jays.

There is not much reason to expect anything out of Bradley, who hit just .203 overall last year. But for a Royals team that just finished dead-last in their division (and might have even more growing pains in 2023), Bradley could eventually be able to carve out a decent role in their outfield.