Who is he, and where does he come from?
He’s Brendan Rodgers. He was an everyday starter for the lowly Rockies in 2024, leading some to believe he was heading our way at that year’s trade deadline, before we learned that Craig Breslow only makes deals for winning players in the offseason.
Subsequently, Rodgers’ age (and injury history) caught up to him while his raw ability to hit a baseball also declined. He was unceremoniously dumped by the Rockies following the 2024 campaign and bounced between the Astros, Triple-A Sugar Land, and the injury list last season.
The Red Sox have, in “pennies on the dollar” fashion, signed him to a minor-league deal for 2026. Rodgers still a solid depth pickup, though (stop me if you’ve heard me say that before).
Is he any good?
If you asked me this on, say, February 14, 2024, I’d have certainly been more enthusiastic. Now, I’d say no, but this isn’t a bad minor league signing. While never a hitter that tears the cover off the ball, slashing .267/.313/.401 in 7 Major League seasons, Rodgers’ biggest offensive weakness is simply that he strikes out too much. This was never more true than in 2025 when he struck out in 35.9% of his at-bats, which, had he qualified, would have placed him amongst the very worst in the league.
Rodgers is also familiar with several doctors’ offices in his career, as he’s been on the IL 18 total times since 2019. 2025 was no exception; he landed on the IL for separate stints with a concussion, oblique issues, and a broken nose, and was hitting under the Mendoza line when he was healthy.
Still, the second baseman is on the right side of 30 until August 9. He’s also very good defensively, something obviously very important to the Red Sox as they’ve been league leaders in errors in recent years. Rodgers was a Gold Glover in 2022. And, for what it’s worth, he’s a righty who has performed well against lefties for most of his career, slashing .295/.356/.481 against them, so he fills a team need there.
Tl:dr; give me his 2025 stats.
Yeah, about that…
43 G, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .191/.266/.278, -0.3 WAR
Show me a cool highlight.
Here’s that defensive prowess coming to use.
What’s he doing in his picture up there?
Hanging out with a former teammate we all know! Trevor Story and Rodgers were pieces of a Rockies infield that showed promise before what those in Denver refer to as “the dark ages.”
What’s his role on the 2026 Red Sox?
If he’s in Boston for too long, especially with the other pieces that Breslow has also acquired for bargain prices, there’s probably an issue. Still, you can’t count out a redemption arc for a guy just three years removed from a Gold Glove, especially if there are defensive issues on this Red Sox team of infielders who are playing with each other for the first time.
It’s hard not to get frustrated at this signing when thinking back on how much the 2024 version of Rodgers may have helped a 2024 Red Sox team that ended the season with an uninspiring 81-81 record. But this is 2026 and Rodgers can help in the club house in more ways than one. And if someone can bring back old Rodgers, that’s even better!