Article: The Casual Greatness of Rob Refsnyder

[Brandon Glick]

Let's play a fun little game that definitely wasn't spoiled by the headline of this article. Can you name the Red Sox's four best hitters according to weighted on-base average (wOBA) this season? I'll list them below:

1. Alex Bregman (.386 wOBA)
2. Romy González (.373)
3. Roman Anthony (.369)
4. Rob Refsnyder (.364)

So, to recap, that's the team's best overall player atop the list, a guy who hammers left-handed pitchers to the tune of a 1.055 OPS in 102 plate appearances, and the former best prospect in baseball fresh off one of the best rookie months in franchise history. The next player on the list isn't one of the team's outfield stars (Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela occupy the next three spots), nor is it breakout rookie catcher Carlos Narváez. Instead, it's 34-year-old outfielder Refsnyder, who makes his hay the same way González does: crushing lefties.

He's rocking a .277/.364/.485 slash line overall, good for a 130 wRC+ that's right in line with what he's done in Boston since arriving prior to the 2022 season. His strikeout rate (26.5%) is up a few ticks from his career norms, but he's made up for that by raising his walk rate (11.9%) as well. His .208 isolated slugging (ISO) is his highest in any season with more than 50 plate appearances, and he continues to work a comical BABIP, standing at .349 for the season. That latter number might sound like it suggests some forthcoming regression, but it's actually lower than his career number in a Red Sox uniform (.352).

Part of the reason for that last tidbit is just the kinds of situations the Red Sox put Refsnyder in. Over 72% of his plate appearances this season have come against southpaws, and his OPS jumps by more than 200 points when he gains the handedness advantage. As you might expect, Refsnyder's aptitude for pulling the ball reaches another stratosphere against lefties, though even his cumulative totals are wildly impressive. Just take a look at how silly his spray chart (courtesy of Baseball Savant) is this year:

Refsnyder's pulled-ball rate is up to 44.6% this season, which would rank tied for 42nd in baseball if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. That number would also rank second on the Red Sox behind Bregman, a reminder of what good right-handed hitters can do when they learn to take advantage of the Green Monster in left field.

None of this should be surprising if you've followed Refsnyder's decade-long career journey. The book on him is eminently clear; he's just doing his thing better than usual in 2025. Case in point: his wOBA against both fastballs (.379) and breaking balls (.399) are up to near-career-high levels (his wOBA against fastballs is the highest of his career), and he's doing it while sacrificing some production against off-speed offerings (.227 wOBA, worst since 2022). It's a common profile we've seen aging hitters take in recent years—George Springer of the Blue Jays might be the poster child for it in 2025—and one that Refsnyder is making work with ease and grace.

In Romy González and Rob Refsnyder, the Red Sox have two brilliant short-side platoon options to deploy in the infield and outfield, respectively. That's usually not the most efficient way to build a team—it's often advisable to target left-handed hitters who can crush righties since they are far more common—but Boston is making it work. Regardless of what the future holds for the retirement-considering veteran, Refsnyder's role-filling greatness shouldn't taken for granted.

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[moonslav59]

Ref and Romy should put to rest any aversions to platoons.

It doesn't even matter if Abreu or others starts to hit LHPs, better; these two need to start vs every LH's SP'er.

[Brandon Glick]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Ref and Romy should put to rest any aversions to platoons.

It doesn't even matter if Abreu or others starts to hit LHPs, better; these two need to start vs every LH's SP'er.

Couldn't agree more. They produce at All-Star rates against lefties. No reason to keep those guys out of the lineup, at least while we're trying to win!

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, Brandon Glick said:

Couldn't agree more. They produce at All-Star rates against lefties. No reason to keep those guys out of the lineup, at least while we're trying to win!

Agreed. They both seem to do well as PH'ers, too.

[Bellhorn04]

I get a nice warm feeling every time Ref or Romy step to the plate against a lefty, that's for sure.

[Kimmi]

On 8/5/2025 at 10:34 AM, Brandon Glick said:

Couldn't agree more. They produce at All-Star rates against lefties. No reason to keep those guys out of the lineup, at least while we're trying to win!

The title of the article is most appropriate.  Refsnyder doesn't get the attention that guys like Bregman or Anthony get, but he's been great for the team, on the field and in the clubhouse.

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, Kimmi said:

The title of the article is most appropriate.  Refsnyder doesn't get the attention that guys like Bregman or Anthony get, but he's been great for the team, on the field and in the clubhouse.

If 70% of pitchers were lefties, Ref would be an all star.

[Sox 42]

He is a keeper as the only other right-handed hitting outfielder besides Rafaela.  Besides that he is above all averages.