When it comes to Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox manager John Farrell is a man of his word. <\/p>\n
The plan was to send down the offensively challenged center fielder in August to let him work on things in Triple A only to be called back up in September to finish out the string with the Red Sox. <\/p>\n
So there was Bradley at the locker he called home for most of the season putting on his Red Sox gear yesterday before the team opened a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. <\/p>\n
Well when we sent him out we said we would bring him back in September and feel like the work that hes been doing in Pawtucket can continue and will continue here with us in Boston, Farrell said. <\/p>\n
The numbers suggest Bradleys time in Pawtucket mirrored what was going on during the entirety of the season. The 24-year-old hit .211 (16-for-76) in 16 games, including two postseason games, for the PawSox with a double, home run and five RBI. Bradley is hitting .216 with one home run and 30 RBI for the year with the Red Sox. In August, he failed to record an extra base-hit in 35 at-bats with a.143 batting average, 15 strikeouts and two walks. <\/p>\n
There were reports that Bradley was sent down for other reasons other than what was happening with his on-field production. Farrell was asked about the reports hes received about Bradleys ability to implement the adjustments he needed to work on at the minor league level. <\/p>\n
Somewhat. I cant say its complete, the manager said. I dont think a player is ever complete in his work and his adjustments. So thats ongoing. <\/p>\n
The ongoing conversation for Farrell and his staff will be figuring when and where to get Bradley into a game. Yoenis Cespedes, barring a day off from Farrell, seems to be cemented in left, while Mookie Betts has outplayed anybody else that could potentially play center field. Farrell is still trying to see what kind of production he can get from a platoon of Allen Craig and Daniel Nava in right. <\/p>\n
It will be a balance to get everybody some equal playing time and I cant even guarantee that it will be equal, because we are trying to get a read on multiple guys, Allen Craig is one of them, obviously Mookie the way that he has progressed this year. Daniel Nava continues to earn at-bats against right-handed pitching, Farrell said. We will balance it as best we can. <\/p>\n
Bradleys role right now is undefined, and part of that is the way Betts has taken control of the job. Betts has had a multi-hit game in four of his last seven appearances, with three home runs and his first grand slam of his career against Tampa Bay. Hes making Farrells decision to pull him out of the lineup a difficult one, much like Brock Holt did earlier in the season. <\/p>\n
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Red Sox Notebook: Jackie Bradley Jr. back with outfield crowd<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When it comes to Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox manager John Farrell is a man of his word. The plan was to send down the offensively challenged center fielder in August to let him work on things in Triple A only to be called back up in September to finish out the string with the Red Sox. So there was Bradley at the locker he called home for most of the season putting on his Red Sox gear yesterday before the team opened a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Continue reading