Red Sox's Brendan Rodgers Gamble Explained After MiLB Signing

The Boston Red Sox added another infielder on Thursday night.

Boston rolled the dice and agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Isiah Kiner-Falefa on Wednesday and followed up by reportedly signing Gold Glove Award winner Brendan Rodgers to a minor league deal with an invite to big league Spring Training camp on Thursday, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

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"A day after agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the Red Sox have struck another deal with a veteran free agent infielder who has a Gold Glove on his resumé," Cotillo wrote. "Boston has agreed to sign Brendan Rodgers to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, sources confirmed Wednesday night. The former Rockie, who won a Gold Glove at second base in 2022, will compete for a roster spot in spring training after a lost season in Houston.

"Rodgers, 29, spent last season with the Astros after signing a minor league deal in February, appearing in just 43 games. He hit .191 with two homers, four doubles, 11 RBIs and a .544 OPS (and a meteoric 35.9 percent strikeout rate) before his season ended in mid-June."

Why Brendan Rodgers is a worthy flier for Boston

Jun 6, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Brendan Rodgers (1) celebrates his solo home run with center fielder Jacob Melton (31) in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

With Kiner-Falefa in the mix for Boston, the Red Sox's infield arguably looked like it was ready to roll. Willson Contreras, Trevor Story at shortstop, and then Kiner-Falefa and Marcelo Mayer at the other two spots, arguably, is enough to compete with an elite outfield and rotation. Adding Rodgers just gives the team more important depth on a cheap contract.

He's just 29 years old and is a former first-round pick. Rodgers boasts elite defense and has some pop from the right side of the plate. Look at his 2021 and 2022 seasons to see what he can do. In 2021, he slashed .284/.328/.470 with 15 homers and 51 RBIs in 102 games played. The next year, he was a 4.3-WAR player as he won his Gold Glove and slashed .266/.325/.408 with 13 homers and 63 RBIs in 137 games played. In 2024, he hit 13 homers and drove in 54 runs before struggling in 2025 in just 43 games played.

That's why you roll the dice on him. If he has a big-time camp and returns to form, the Red Sox would have a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman on a cheap deal. If he struggles, it doesn't negatively impact the payroll. If you're a Red Sox fan, you should be really rooting for Rodgers to have a big spring.

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