Stats Show Brendan Rodgers Could Be Sneaky Good Pickup for Red Sox

Good to have this depth option...

Houston Astros second baseman Brendan Rodgers (1) hits a three-run home run during the seventh inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We know one thing for sure about Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora: He loves to platoon.

The Red Sox reportedly made a somewhat curious minor-league signing on Thursday, if only because the player in question -- former Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros infielder Brendan Rodgers -- has enough name value that he has to be taken seriously as a candidate for the roster at some point.

The reality is that Rodgers might not appear in a game for the Red Sox all year, since it's not guaranteed by his deal. But if he does end up playing a role, it's fairly clear what role that would likely be.

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Rodgers could be real weapon against lefties

May 9, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Brendan Rodgers (1) crosses home plate to score a run against the Cincinnati Reds during the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

One might look at Rodgers' stat page and see him as a run-of-the-mill draft bust, based on his third overall selection by the Rockies in 2015 and his career 88 OPS+. While it's not as if he has lived up to the hype, however, there have been situations in which Rodgers has thrived.

First, he's a former Gold Glove second baseman, and we know the Red Sox are prioritizing run prevention at the moment. But more importantly, he's always hit left-handed pitching, and there could be more of a lane for an extra platoon infielder now that Rob Refsnyder has departed the organization.

In 568 career plate appearances againist lefties, Rodgers owns an impressive .295 batting average, 22 home runs, and an .837 OPS. That still works out to a 119 wRC+ after adjusting for all the games he played at Coors Field.

Even last season, when he was struggling to crack the Houston Astros' roster, Rodgers had an above-average OPS against lefties of .724.

We know the Red Sox love Romy Gonzalez against lefties, and unless he gets injured, his job is safe. But Rodgers was worth a flier at a minimum, because one never knows if Gonzalez or Isiah Kiner-Falefa might get hurt or struggle to the point where the team needs a new look.

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