Boston Red Sox infielder Brendan Rodgers. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Red Sox hit jackpot with reported Brendan Rodgers deal

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Mar 28, 2026 11:54 AM ET

The Boston Red Sox released former Gold Glove Award winner Brendan Rodgers, but it didn't last long.

Rodgers will not be playing in 2026, or at least for the vast majority of the campaign. The 29-year-old former Gold Glove Award winner suffered a torn labrum and a chipped bone in his shoulder and underwent shoulder surgery.

The Red Sox released him, and MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo followed up shortly afterward by reporting that the two sides could work toward a "re-negotiated new deal."

On Saturday, Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com reported that the two sides have in fact agreed to terms on a new, two-year minor league deal.

"After being released earlier this week, veteran IF Brendan Rodgers has re-signed with the Red Sox on a two-year minor league deal," Hatfield wrote. "Allows him to rehab his shoulder surgery and stay with the team [through] 2027. ... It's a minor league deal. There's no downside. He'll go on the 60-day IL soon, presumably, and if he's good to go next year, you've got another depth piece."

It's a minor league deal. There's no downside. He'll go on the 60-day IL soon, presumably, and if he's good to go next year, you've got another depth piece. https://t.co/Lr2QmjJYL1
— Chris Hatfield (@SPChrisHatfield) March 28, 2026

The Red Sox made another good move on Saturday

What a good move. First and foremost, you can almost never go wrong with a minor league deal. The cost is little, and they're essentially lottery tickets. If any minor league deal works out and helps at the big league level, it's a plus. If not, minor league deals simply add depth throughout an organization, which is good.

When it comes to Rodgers, he's a 29-year-old Gold Glove Award winner and is a career .261 hitter in 495 games played in the big leagues. The fact that the Red Sox have him on a two-year minor league deal keeps him in town to rehab and then already gives Boston a head start on depth for 2027. When healthy, he has all the upside in the world.

He was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. In 2024, Rodgers played in 135 games and slashed .267/.314/.407 with 13 homers and 54 RBI. At the end of the day, getting a guy who has shown in the majors that he can have this success on a minor league deal is always good. For Boston, having him around the team for a year also is a positive.

It's unfortunate for both team and player that Rodgers will not be able to go for a while, but this is a great move nonetheless.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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