Welcome again to the 2025-26 version of Smash or Pass, wherein we study potential free agent and commerce targets to find out whether or not the Purple Sox ought to pursue them and what it will take to land them. Subsequent up, an in-house veteran who is without doubt one of the greatest hitters within the sport… in a single explicit situation.
After the 2024 season Rob Refsnyder thought of retiring. However he didn’t, explaining:
“Actually it was simply the dialog, final yr was my final assured cope with right here,” Refsnyder stated. “…I didn’t actually know the longer term. If nobody has curiosity then yeah, I’d go on and do the subsequent factor. I’m completely satisfied I’m right here and that is my final yr right here that I assured so we’ll see what occurs.”
OTM’s Maura McGurk wrote about 2024 as his profession yr! How may he take into consideration strolling away? And now as a free agent, he’s dealing with the identical selection: hold up as a participant or roll the cube one other time.
Who’s he and the place does he come from?
Rob Refsnyder was taken within the fifth spherical of the 2012 draft by the New York Yankees. He’d spend the primary two-and-a-half seasons within the majors (2015-2017) enjoying primarily second base but additionally some first base and each outfield corners. And one time he appeared at third. do not forget that for Immaculate Grid. You’ll thank me later.
Halfway by way of the 2017 season he’d discover himself despatched to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Then he spent a yr with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Then a yr in Texas with the Rangers and another with the Minnesota Twins.
Refsnyder wouldn’t arrive in Boston till 2022 and, lastly, hopefully, start to unpack.
Over his 4 years with the Purple Sox the righty has compiled a .276/.364/.440 line with 27 dwelling runs, 48 doubles, and 100 walks (225 strikeouts) over 309 video games, largely as a platoon bat towards southpaws.
He averaged 0.9 bWAR per season as a part-time participant. Per 162 sport he was price about 1.9 bWAR. He’s performing some good work off the bench.
That does come together with his limitation: he actually is a platoon bat. Towards right-handed pitching he’s hit a pedestrian .229/.301/.332 in his profession. However put him in towards lefties and it’s a unique story: 281/.383/.443. Almost 200 factors of OPS totally different.
TLDR; simply give me his 2025 stats.
In 209 plate appearances throughout 70 video games Refsnyder hit .269/.354/.484 which breaks right down to .212/.268/.348 towards righties and a whopping .302/.399/.560 towards lefties. That’s an OPS that’s reaching in direction of 1.000. He crushed lefties in a method that was uncommon even for him. It was an admittedly small pattern, however nonetheless, put him in a spot he can succeed and good issues can occur.
Why would he be a superb match on the 2025 Purple Sox?
You possibly can nearly make it a chant:
“Proper-handed energy!”
“When do we would like it?”
The Sox know Refsnyder. They like Refsnyder. He’s one of many legendary clubhouse guys and “coach on the sphere” sorts who envisions entering into teaching or the entrance workplace when he’s finished as a participant. He’s acquired veteran standing and management for no matter that’s price — which is certainly one thing — on a workforce that has turned over its legacy gamers slightly quick.
And he’s most likely taking a look at one yr for low cash.
Why wouldn’t he be a superb match on the Purple Sox?
Have you ever seen the outfield logjam? Even after buying and selling Password, the Sox nonetheless have depth on the main league stage they will commerce from. Refsnyder is proscribed defensively. He’s getting up there in age (which can also be on the positives listing for in search of much less however what are you able to do) and does are inclined to have some nagging accidents. Do they actually make room for a fourth or fifth outfielder when you should still want protection for middle subject and a lefty platoon associate?
Present me a cool spotlight.
Solely the longest dwelling run hit by a Purple Sox participant this season.
Assuming they commerce Duran or Abreu and no matter signing Alex Bregman or buying and selling for Ketel Marte (each righties), the Purple Sox want somebody within the outfield who’s an enormous bat ultimately towards opposing lefties. So smash this one all day. But when they don’t commerce any outfielders then there actually is not any area to place him when you think about a wholesome Masa utilizing the DH spot and just a little little bit of left subject rotation. However there are a lot of nice roster permutations with Rob Refsnyder on the 26-man, sitting subsequent to Alex Cora, and (I assume) regaling Roman Anthony with tales of his a few years in baseball.
Plus he was talked about in an episode of Reacher. Given as an alias. How a lot cooler can one participant be?
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