The Red Sox are keeping outfielder Rob Refsnyder around beyond this season. The club announced a one-year contract extension with Refsnyder that includes a club option for the 2025 season.
His new deal with earn him $1.85 million in 2024, the club option for 2025 will be worth $2 million, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. The deal also includes potential bonuses and escalators.
“I just sit here super humbled, super grateful,” Refsnyder said Saturday morning. “I’ve had this game taken away from me a couple of times, just based off performance. I just sit here very grateful, very humbled and thankful. I get to play in the greatest baseball city and the greatest ballpark. I definitely don’t lose sight of that.”
Refsnyder is batting .284 with one homer, five doubles, 13 runs, 17 RBIs and 15 walks in 33 games this season. The 32-year-old owns a .408 on-base percentage and a .383 slugging percentage.
The Sox outfielder has crushed left-handed pitching this season, he’s hitting .365 (19-for-52) with a .468 on-base percentage, .481 slugging percentage and .949 OPS, a homer, three doubles and 13 RBIs.
“Anytime we make this sort of deal with a player, it’s about the player and about the person. Since Rob has come in here, he’s helped us do a lot of things to win games on both sides of the ball. Great at-bat every single time. Plays the game the right way. In here (clubhouse), he does a lot of things to help the group,” said Chaim Bloom.
The Red Sox began to kick around the idea of extending Refsnyder back in spring training during a meeting with the front office. The conversation was more informal at the time, however, Bloom spoke with the veteran outfielder about his feelings on staying in Boston beyond this season. The two sides shared mutual interest and the Red Sox started the formal process with his agent.
“We had kicked it around a little bit in our group almost informally in spring training. There are some things about this extension that I guess are a little non-traditional. Any of these types of deals, these deals get portrayed as rewarding a player. I don’t look it that way. What these really are a player and a club deciding they’re going to share risk and upside,” said Bloom.