Franchy Cordero left the Boston Red Sox after the team decided to release players following a decision to open up the budget. The team’s decision came after two unsuccessful seasons with Cordero and their inability to work out a Minor League Deal.
The 28-year-old outfielder has struggled to find his footing with the Red Sox over the past two seasons, hitting just .204 in 70 games. He also struggled to transition to first base, committing eight errors in 58 games.
Cordero was acquired by Boston from the Kansas City Royals along with four other players in exchange for Andrew Benintendi before the 2021 season. However, he failed to live up to expectations and was occasionally relegated to Triple-A Worcester.
Franchy Cordero’s new Yankees deal.
The Red Sox were unable to renegotiate a contract with Franchy Cordero and did not work out a deal for him, releasing him as a free agent. Initially, this decision did not seem like a big loss, as he did not prove to be very valuable for the team in his two seasons.
On March 30, 2023, Cordero signed a split contract with the New York Yankees, who offered him $1 million in the major leagues and $180,000 in the minor leagues.
Franchy Cordero has had a solid start to the season with the Yankees. Batting .294 in 17 at-bats having hit 2 HR. While it’s still unclear what Cordero’s long term role with the Yankees will be, it is clear that he’ll need to show consistency both offensively and defensively to earn more playing time.
For the Red Sox, the loss of Cordero did not seem like a significant blow, as he failed to contribute to the team in a meaningful way. However, it appears that his recent success with the Yankees may make him a significant loss for the franchise in 2023.