Red Sox Contract ‘Driving Factor’ For Journeyman Outfielder

Rob Refsnyder is back with the Boston Red Sox for another season.

The 31-year-old agreed to terms with the Red Sox on a one-year deal this past offseason, marking the first time in his seven-season Major League Baseball career that he signed for guaranteed money. After waiting so long for that level of security, Refsnyder is choosing to use it as motivation.

“This offseason, my wife and I celebrated our first guaranteed contract,” Refsnyder said, per team-provided video. “I always got to a point where I was like, ‘I wonder what this is going to feel like?’ If it was going to feel any different.

“It’s almost even more of a driving factor. It’s like, ‘Wow, a team has put a little bit of confidence in you. You better work your (expletive) off. You better live up to it.’ “

Refsnyder earned his second deal with the Red Sox. After signing a minor league deal with Boston prior to the 2022 season, Refsnyder spent a couple months with Triple-A Worcester before making it up to the big-league club in June.

His call up paid immediate dividends, as he routinely made highlight-reel plays in the outfield while providing a solid bat in Alex Cora’s lineup. The quick start earned him a role for the remainder of the season, in which he finished hitting .307/.497/.881 with six home runs and 21 RBIs across 57 games — his most in a single season.

The Red Sox will have a new-look outfield in 2023. Kiké Hernández will make the move to shortstop, opening up the center field role for newcomer Adam Duvall. Alex Verdugo and Masataka Yoshida are expected to lock down the corner spots, leaving the fourth outfield position up for grabs. Refsnyder will battle for that job alongside Jarren Duran, putting Refsnyder in a position to provide another positive impact in his second season with the Red Sox.