Red Sox 'Likely' to Re-Acquire 29-Year-Old Gold Glover After Recent Release

The rare instance where a release is not necessarily a bad thing

Mar 7, 2015; Sarasota, FL, USA; A general view of Boston Red Sox hat and glove laying in the dugout at a spring training baseball game at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

When Brendan Rodgers was released by the Boston Red Sox earlier this week, it seemed entirely possible, perhaps even likely, that his time in the organization was over.

Rodgers injured his shoulder during his first week of spring training games with the Red Sox in February and underwent labrum surgery in early March. If he is able to play at all this season, it likely won't be until the final few weeks.

According to one insider's Friday report, however, it appears that the Red Sox are intent on eventually giving Rodgers the chance to show he belongs.

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Rodgers appears set for Red Sox reunion

May 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Brendan Rodgers (1) hits a single against the Athletics during the third inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Chris Cotillo of MassLive reported on Friday that the Red Sox were likely to work out a new minor-league contract for Rodgers soon, allowing him to rehab as a member of the organization and likely to return for next year when fully healthy as well.

"(Rodgers' release) would seem to be a contract-related development because a source said Friday that Rodgers is likely to re-sign with the Red Sox on a new minor league deal soon," Cotillo wrote.

"Rodgers will miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season, so his new deal is likely a two-year agreement that would keep him in the organization through 2027."

Rodgers, 29, was a Gold Glove second baseman for the Colorado Rockies in 2022 and has a respectable .261 career batting average. That said, his career has mostly been a disappointment based on draft expectations, as he went No. 3 overall in 2015 behind only current Chicago Cubs stars Dansby Swanson and Alex Bregman.

The Red Sox had a spot open for a righty-hitting platoon infielder during camp when it was revealed that Romy Gonzalez would start the year on the injured list, as he underwent a less serious shoulder surgery of his own. That spot wound up being filled by Andruw Monasterio, a trade pickup from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Will Rodgers' Red Sox tenure eventually reach the satisfying payoff of a major league appearance? That answer might not come until next season, but a new contract is a promising potential step.