Bradley Jr. sees opportunity in crowded Brewers outfield

After eight seasons with the Red Sox, Jackie Bradley Jr. joined the Milwaukee Brewers on the field in Arizona on Monday, wearing No. 41 and glad to be back in uniform after a protracted free agency that wasn’t settled until last week.

Bradley took a one-year, $13 million deal and holds an $11 million option for 2022.

It was the first time since he came to Milwaukee in 2015 that president of baseball operations David Stearns agreed to a player option in a contract. But Bradley valued the ability to reenter what should be a more player-friendly market next winter while having security to fall back on if that’s not the right move.

“I wanted to trust myself,” Bradley said. “I believed in my ability and my talent. I feel like this particular deal offers me a lot of flexibility.”

The Brewers weren’t an obvious fit for Bradley. They arrived at spring training seemingly set in the outfield with Lorenzo Cain patrolling center and Christian Yelich and Avisail Garcia on the corners.

“The motivation is, I think, he makes us better,” said Stearns, who was a sports writer with The Harvard Crimson before going on to more honorable pursuits. “Adding someone of Jackie’s caliber in terms of the play on the field, his impact in the clubhouse, his impact in the community is something we’re excited about.”

The Brewers could use a DH to keep the peace. But with MLB and the Players Association unable to put their agendas aside for the good of the game, it’ll be left to manager Craig Counsell to sort it out.

Stearns sees benefits in having four players for three spots. The Brewers are protected against injuries, can exploit platoon advantages and can bring a dangerous hitter off the bench late in games.

“That puts us in a really good spot,” he said.

But let’s be realistic. Yelich is one of the best players in the game. If he’s healthy, he plays.

If Bradley is in the lineup, it has to be in center. Paying Bradley $13 million to play in a corner would be akin to buying a masterpiece and hanging it in the shed.

Cain, who turns 35 next month, has been primarily a center fielder in his career but has played 159 games in left or right.

Bradley has played 96 games in the corners — only 18 in the last five seasons.

Cain has yet to play a game this spring as he deals with a quadriceps injury, and he could land on the injured list to start the season.

So for now it’s not a problem.

“We’ve got a lot of great players here, and obviously I’m excited to be in the mix,” Bradley said. “The opportunity is going to present itself. I don’t have to worry about making out the lineup.”

Before other offers came in, Bradley was openminded about staying in Boston.

“There was talk for sure,” he said.

But that talk didn’t get very far. The Sox instead remade their outfield over the winter by acquiring Hunter Renfroe, Franchy Cordero and an ever-growing collection of utility players.

Their hope is that Renfroe is more than a platoon player and Cordero can avoid the injuries that have so far masked his talent.

The only sure bet in their outfield is Alex Verdugo, whose first full season in the majors was the 60-game sprint last year.