Who’s he, and the place does he come from?
He’s Brendan Rodgers. He was an on a regular basis starter for the lowly Rockies in 2024, main some to consider he was heading our approach at that year’s trade deadline, earlier than we realized that Craig Breslow solely makes offers for successful gamers within the offseason.
Subsequently, Rodgers’ age (and damage historical past) caught as much as him whereas his uncooked potential to hit a baseball additionally declined. He was unceremoniously dumped by the Rockies following the 2024 marketing campaign and bounced between the Astros, Triple-A Sugar Land, and the damage listing final season.
The Pink Sox have, in “pennies on the greenback” trend, signed him to a minor-league deal for 2026. Rodgers nonetheless a stable depth pickup, although (cease me if you happen to’ve heard me say that earlier than).
For those who requested me this on, say, February 14, 2024, I’d have actually been extra enthusiastic. Now, I’d say no, however this isn’t a nasty minor league signing. Whereas by no means a hitter that tears the quilt off the ball, slashing .267/.313/.401 in 7 Main League seasons, Rodgers’ greatest offensive weak spot is just that he strikes out an excessive amount of. This was by no means extra true than in 2025 when he struck out in 35.9% of his at-bats, which, had he certified, would have positioned him amongst the very worst within the league.
Rodgers can be aware of a number of docs’ places of work in his profession, as he’s been on the IL 18 complete occasions since 2019. 2025 was no exception; he landed on the IL for separate stints with a concussion, indirect points, and a damaged nostril, and was hitting below the Mendoza line when he was wholesome.
Nonetheless, the second baseman is on the suitable facet of 30 till August 9. He’s additionally excellent defensively, one thing clearly crucial to the Pink Sox as they’ve been league leaders in errors in recent times. Rodgers was a Gold Glover in 2022. And, for what it’s price, he’s a righty who has carried out nicely towards lefties for many of his profession, slashing .295/.356/.481 towards them, so he fills a workforce want there.
Tl:dr; give me his 2025 stats.
43 G, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .191/.266/.278, -0.3 WAR
Present me a cool spotlight.
Right here’s that defensive prowess coming to make use of.
What’s he doing in his image up there?
Hanging out with a former teammate everyone knows! Trevor Story and Rodgers had been items of a Rockies infield that confirmed promise earlier than what these in Denver discuss with as “the darkish ages.”
What’s his position on the 2026 Pink Sox?
If he’s in Boston for too lengthy, particularly with the opposite items that Breslow has additionally acquired for cut price costs, there’s in all probability a problem. Nonetheless, you possibly can’t depend out a redemption arc for a man simply three years faraway from a Gold Glove, particularly if there are defensive points on this Pink Sox workforce of infielders who’re enjoying with one another for the primary time.
It’s exhausting to not get annoyed at this signing when considering again on how a lot the 2024 model of Rodgers might have helped a 2024 Pink Sox workforce that ended the season with an uninspiring 81-81 file. However that is 2026 and Rodgers may help within the membership home in additional methods than one. And if somebody can deliver again previous Rodgers, that’s even higher!
