Why Losing Rob Refsnyder To Mariners Could Benefit Red Sox In Long Run

A painful loss, but maybe a necessary one?

Apr 21, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Wilyer Abreu (52) and center fielder Jarren Duran (middle) and right fielder Rob Refsnyder (right) celebrate in the outfield after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Boston won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

A lot of Boston Red Sox fans had to be bummed about Monday's free agency news.

As they announced on their X account, the Seattle Mariners signed Rob Refsnyder to a one-year contract for the upcoming season. Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, the deal was worth $6.25 million.

Refsnyder was a valuable leader in the Boston clubhouse, and as anyone who's watched the team for the last four years knows, he crushes left-handed pitching. But there could well be a long-term benefit to his departure, if the Red Sox are willing to go through some bumps in the road early in the year.

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What Rob Refsnyder's departure means for Wilyer Abreu

Letting Refsnyder go wasn't just about not wanting to pay him. The Red Sox almost certainly wanted to give Wilyer Abreu, who now has two Gold Gloves in two full major league seasons, more chances to prove he can handle left-handed pitching next year.

Abreu rarely started against lefties in his first two years with the club, and he owns just a .589 OPS against them in 145 plate appearances. He's such a complete player otherwise, though, that it's worthwhile for the Red Sox to give him chances to prove he's not a platoon guy.

As much as manager Alex Cora loves to aggressively platoon, one could easily argue that the Red Sox did too much of it last season, and arguably not by choice. Abreu was on the bench with utility man Nate Eaton in right field for two of the three playoff games, because Boston didn't yet trust Abreu to handle lefties.

The Red Sox also still have Romy Gonzalez, who matched Refsnyder step for step with a .978 OPS against lefties this past season, to play the role of short-side platoon masher. As great as it was at times to have Refsnyder and Gonzalez to use in tandem, it arguably left the bench short on days where Boston saw mostly righties.

Lastly, we know Cora loves Eaton's speed and defensive versatility, and it would be ideal to use him as a true bench player instead of a spot starter.

Everyone in the Red Sox's clubhouse will feel Refsnyder's loss at first. But losing a good player sometimes brings the best out of others, and in this case, Boston's logjam might lighten up just a tad.

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