The MLB lockout began early Thursday morning, with no free agent or trade acquisitions allowed to be made during the work stoppage. The Boston Red Sox swung a last-minute trade right before the lockout began, sending outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers for postseason hero Jackie Bradley Jr.
Jackie Bradley Jr. is headed back to the Boston Red Sox in the deal for Hunter Renfroe.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 2, 2021
Nothing like a good old-fashioned buzzer-beater of a trade right before the MLB lockout. Nicely done by the Red Sox and Brewers here. In all seriousness, this is a good trade for both sides, with Hunter Renfroe and Jackie Bradley Jr. fitting in well with their new respective teams.
Renfroe was a very underrated part of a strong Red Sox team, as he posted the second 30-homer season of his career while driving in a career-best 96 runs for Boston. Renfroe should help to solidify the middle of the Milwaukee order, which got a bit thinner after the departures of Avisail Garcia, who enjoyed a breakout year, and Eduardo Escobar, who left for the New York Mets.
As for the Red Sox, they'll get back a postseason hero in Jackie Bradley Jr., who won the 2018 American League Championship game MVP as Boston cruised to a World Series title, in return for Renfroe. Bradley is a below-average bat but continues to be one of the best center fielders in the MLB, rating 12 runs above average in the field, per MLB Trade Rumors.
The swap of Renfroe for Bradley could be one of those rare trades that works out for both the Red Sox and Brewers. And it happened right at the buzzer before the work stoppage.
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