As expected, the Red Sox made the decision to bring back veteran outfielder Rob Refsnyder on Monday, exercising his club option for 2025.
Refsnyder will earn $2.1 million — a $2 million base salary plus a $100,000 bonus based on plate appearances in 2024. The Red Sox chose to lock in that salary instead of buying him out for $150,000. In June 2023, Boston signed Refsnyder to a one-year, $1.85 million extension for 2024 that included the option for 2025.
The option was seen as a formality based on how the 33-year-old Refsnyder played in 2024. In a crowded outfield, he set career highs in 2024 in games played (93), hits (77), runs scored (32), doubles (16), home runs (11 and RBIs (40), batting .283 (77-for-272) while making 31 starts in left field, 20 in right field and 10 as the designated hitter.
In 239 games since joining the Red Sox in 2022, the right-handed hitter has batted .278 (174-for-627) with a .795 OPS, 18 home runs, and 89 RBI, including a .316 batting average (98-for-310) and .910 OPS against left-handed pitchers. More importantly on a roster with plenty of left-handed hitters, he did what he does best: crush lefties. In 145 plate appearances against southpaws, Refsnyder hit .302 with a .941 OPS. He has hit .316 with a .910 OPS in three seasons with the Red Sox.
Refsnyder, who has emerged as a veteran leader in recent seasons, has made it known that he’s nearing the end of his playing career as he approaches his 34th birthday in March. Over the summer, he publicly flirted with the idea of retirement but said he’d return as a player for 2025 if his option were to be exercised. From here, it appears the former Yankees farmhand will take it year by year. He’s thought to have a future in the game on a non-playing basis once he hangs it up.
“I’ve been talking to Bres (Craig Breslow) a little bit,” Refsnyder said in late September. “I don’t know when exactly that decision needs to be made. I love it here. I love Boston. If they pick up the option I’d love to be back and hopefully see everyone in spring training. If they don’t pick it up, then I’d gauge where the interest is and go from there. But I love it here, even the way the fans supported us when we were playing like (expletive). I think it’s the best fan base and I feel very fortunate to be part of this organization.
“Bres is great at his job and I’m sure he’s weighing all the options, the pros and cons of everything. Bres is a true professional, but hopefully once the season is over, we’ll have some more answers.”
Refsnyder will once again join a crowded mix of outfielders on the active roster. Slugger Tyler O’Neill is a free agent but Gold Glove right fielder Wilyer Abreu, Silver Slugger finalist Jarren Duran, the versatile Ceddanne Rafaela and left fielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida are still on the roster while top prospect Roman Anthony is expected to be in the big leagues in 2025. Boston is expected to look to trade from that group to address other ares of the roster this winter.
