BOSTON- The Boston Red Sox signed free agent left-handers Rich Hill and James Paxton and reacquired outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. from Milwaukee in a trade that sent outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the Brewers.
The flurry of moves came just a few hours before the midnight expiration of baseball’s collective bargaining agreement, which ushered in a lockout and halted all transactions.
Hill received a one-year deal worth $5 million, and Paxton was signed for one year and $6 million with club and player options that could keep him in Boston for another year or two.
The Red Sox also received two minor leaguers from the Brewers, infielders David Hamilton and Alex Binelas.
Renfroe, 29, adds power to Milwaukee’s lineup after Avisail Garcia left for the Marlins and Eduardo Escobar went to the Mets in free agency. He will be part of a Brewers outfield that includes Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain and Tyrone Taylor.
In his only season in Boston, Renfroe had career highs with a .259 average, .315 on-base percentage, 89 runs, 33 doubles and 96 RBIs. He tied for the major league lead with a career-high 16 outfield assists.
Bradley, 31, played the first eight seasons of his career in Boston, establishing himself as one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. In 2018, when the Red Sox won a franchise-record 108 games and the World Series, he was the AL Championship Series MVP.
A lifetime .230 hitter never known for his offense, he struggled even more at the plate in Milwaukee, batting .163 last season with six homers in 134 games.
Binelas is a 21-year-old third-round draft pick who batted .309 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs in the low minors last season. Hamilton, 24, hit .258 eight homers and 43 RBIs in 101 games at Class A and Double-A.
