So much for that juicy rumor involving the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners.
Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington on Friday refuted a report that Boston offered outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to Seattle in a trade proposal for left-handed reliever Charlie Furbush this past offseason, according to ESPN.com’s Gordon Edes.
A source with one of the teams involved told Edes during spring training that such an offer was made and rejected by the Mariners. Edes referenced the offer in a tweet during Thursday night’s Red Sox-Mariners game, which created some Internet buzz and prompted a response from Cherington.
According to Edes, Cherington wrote in a text message Friday that the report was “simply false.”
Bradley was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason and spring training because of Boston’s surplus of outfielders. The 25-year-old, who was a Gold Glove finalist in 2014 despite his offensive struggles, currently is up with the Red Sox after a hot start at Triple-A Pawtucket.
Furbush, a 29-year-old lefty specialist, owns a 1.80 ERA in 17 appearances spanning 10 innings this season. He posted a 3.61 ERA and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 67 appearances (42 1/3 innings) last season with Seattle.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
