The priority in the Red Sox outfield should be defense

Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images Among the many decisions the Red Sox will have to make this winter is whether or not they bring Jackie Bradley Jr. back to play center field. Now, it obviously needs to be mentioned that this is not entirely up to the team. Bradley has earned the right to hit the open market, and thus should and presumably will seek out the best deal wherever he can get it. The Red Sox wanting him to come back is not, in isolation, enough to actually make it happen. This is a two-way street, after all. That said, there is a decision to be made here by the organization simply in terms of how serious they want to be in these conversations. And if they decide to opt out of talks or at least stay on the periphery, they need to decide what the other direction they’ll take is.

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