ESPN announced Thursday that Bradley has joined the network as a college baseball studio and game analyst.
Bradley's move to the broadcast booth would seem to signal the end of his playing career. The 35-year-old outfielder was unsigned for most of last season before joining the Mets on a minor-league deal shortly after the All-Star break, but he was eventually released in September after posting a .626 OPS over 25 games at Triple-A Syracuse. Bradley enjoyed an 11-year big-league career that spanned from 2013 through 2023 and included stops with the Red Sox, Brewers, Blue Jays and Royals. Though he was a below-league-average hitter with a career 82 wRC+, Bradley peaked in 2016 with a .267 average, 26 home runs and 87 RBI, earning his lone All-Star nod that season. He also captured a Gold Glove Award in 2018 and starred in Boston's run to a World Series championship in that same season, claiming ALCS MVP honors.
The Mets signed Bradley to a minor-league contract Tuesday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.
Bradley had been playing with the independent league Long Island Ducks, where he had a 1.204 OPS with 12 homers in 40 games. The 34-year-old appeared in 43 contests with the Royals in 2023, collecting a lowly .397 OPS. Presumably, Bradley will be assigned to Triple-A Syracuse.
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Jackie Bradley: Lands in independent ball
Rotowire
Bradley signed a contract Thursday with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.
Bradley, who turns 34 later this month, slashed an ugly .233/.188/.210 in 43 games for the Royals last season before being released. His time in the big leagues could very well be over, but he's not ready to call it a career just yet.
Bradley was designated for assignment Monday and will now attempt to latch on with another organization -- likely on a minor-league contract. The 33-year-old outfielder holds just a .398 OPS this season through 113 plate appearances.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Dropped from 40-man roster
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The Royals designated Bradley for assignment Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Bradley was dropped from the 40-man roster after posting a disappointing .133/.188/.210 slash line with six extra-base hits, six RBI and 10 runs scored over 105 at-bats with the Royals this season. He will now either be claimed by another team, report to Triple-A Omaha or be released outright, the last of which would happen if he goes unclaimed and elects free agency instead of Omaha. The move clears a spot for outfielder Dairon Blanco, who had his contract selected from Triple-A on Monday.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Starts, but may lose work to Waters
Rotowire
Bradley will start in center field and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Nationals.
Though he's in the lineup Sunday against a southpaw (MacKenzie Gore), the lefty-hitting Bradley still looks as though he'll be relegated to a fourth- or fifth-outfielder role moving forward after Drew Waters returned from the injured list Friday. Waters went 2-for-8 with a pair of runs while starting in center field in both of the previous two games and probably brings more offensive upside to the table than Bradley at this stage of their respective careers.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Goes deep Monday
Rotowire
Bradley went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 8-5 extra-inning loss to the Tigers.
Bradley's fifth-inning blast tied the game at 5-5. Prior to Monday, he'd been mired in a brutal 0-for-24 slump over his last nine contests. The 33-year-old is seeing regular time in center field with Kyle Isbel (hamstring) out, though Nate Eaton has also been an option in that position. Bradley is slashing just .149/.213/.241 with a homer, six RBI, nine runs scored and five doubles through 95 plate appearances this season. Bradley will be at risk of losing playing time once Drew Waters (oblique) is ready to return after completing his current rehab assignment.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Not in Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Bradley is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.
Bradley started eight of nine games in center field since Kyle Isbel (hamstring) landed on the injured list May 5, but the veteran will take a seat Sunday after going 5-for-26 during that span. Nate Eaton will start in center and bat ninth in the series finale at Milwaukee.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Takes seat Wednesday
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Bradley is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's contest against the White Sox.
Bradley will sit out Wednesday's game after starting the last five contests. Nate Eaton gets the start in center, batting ninth against Lance Lynn.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Big effort in win
Rotowire
Bradley went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 12-5 win over the White Sox.
Bradley is getting some run as the starting center fielder, and he's gone 5-for-10 with three doubles over his last three games. He delivered a two-run double during the Royals' sixth-inning rally Monday. While the outfielder has hit well recently, he's still slashing only .203/.277/.288 with no home runs, four RBI, eight runs scored and no stolen bases through 65 plate appearances. He's hit better than .250 just twice in his career, so there's not a lot of upside even if he remains a regular in the lineup while Kyle Isbel (hamstring) is out.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Filling in for injured Isbel
Rotowire
Bradley will start in center field and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Athletics.
He'll be making his third consecutive start and appears to be getting a look as the Royals' primary center fielder following Kyle Isbel's move to the injured list Friday with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Bradley remains a solid defender at this stage of his career, but the 33-year-old has been one of the majors' worst-performing hitters dating back to the start of the 2021 campaign and won't make for an appealing fantasy option.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Tallies two hits in loss
Rotowire
Bradley went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in Sunday's 8-4 loss to the Twins.
Bradley doubled in the seventh and singled in the ninth and came around to score both times. Sunday was his first multi-hit effort of the season and raised his slash line to .159/.245/.205. He has just one RBI and has scored five times while sporting a 4:10 BB:K over 49 plate appearances while holding down a part-time role in the outfield.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Sits Thursday
Rotowire
Bradley is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Blue Jays.
The 32-year-old will take a seat for the series finale after going 2-for-10 with three walks and two runs while starting each of the past four games. The Royals will roll out an outfield of Edward Olivares, Nate Eaton and Nick Pratto from left to right Thursday.
Bradley will start in center field and bat ninth Wednesday against the Blue Jays.
Bradley will be making his fourth consecutive start out of the Kansas City outfield, and he could have a path to sticking in the lineup for at least two more days after Wednesday while the Royals are tentatively scheduled to face right-handed pitchers and with Kyle Isbel (personal) away from the team on paternity leave. Thus far, Bradley hasn't been able to do much with his playing time, as he enters Wednesday's contest with a .125/.364/.125 slash line across 11 plate appearances.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: Joins big-league roster
Rotowire
Bradley had his contract selected by the Royals on Thursday.
The veteran outfielder will fill a reserve role in Kansas City's outfield after he signed as a non-roster invitee in early March. Bradley's upside at this point is purely defensive, as his 46 wRC plus over the past two season is the worst in the majors for any batter with at least 500 plate appearances.
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Royals' Jackie Bradley: On track for Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Bradley is expected to be included on the Royals' Opening Day roster, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Kansas City may wait until shortly before Thursday's season opener versus the Twins to add Bradley to the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster, but the 32-year-old's ability to defend all three outfield spots at a high level likely made him an appealing replacement for Michael Taylor, who was dealt to the Twins over the winter. Unfortunately for Bradley, he's been MLB's worst-performing hitter across the past two seasons, with his 46 wRC+ placing him last by a wide margin among all players with at least 500 plate appearances in that span. For that reason, the Royals may be reluctant to give him a look in an everyday role even if their preferred options in the outfield miss time at any point.
Royals' Jackie Bradley: Making spring debut Wednesday
Rotowire
Bradley is making his Cactus League debut Wednesday night against the White Sox.
Bradley will bat leadoff and get the start in right field as he aims to stake a claim on an Opening Day roster spot in Kansas City. The soon-to-be 33-year-old settled on a minor-league contract with the Royals on March 1 after slashing just .203/.255/.311 over 131 games between the Red Sox and Blue Jays in 2022.
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