Greater Long Island coverage is funded in part by Toresco & Simonelli, a boutique injury and family law firm in West Islip. They fight for their clients. Click here to learn more and to get in touch.
After seeing success on Long Island, this former World Series champion is heading back to The League.
Jackie Bradley Jr. had his contract bought out from the Long Island Ducks by the New York Mets on Tuesday, the Ducks’ organization announced. According to the release, he’ll be reporting to the Mets’ Triple-A minor league team, the Syracuse Mets.
Bradley Jr. is most known for his tenure with the Boston Red Sox, playing from 2013-20, where he earned an MLB All-Star nod in 2016 and helped lead the squad to lift the Commissioner’s Trophy in 2018, when his team defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in the World Series.
He went on to make MLB stops in Milwaukee, Toronto, and Kansas City, playing a total of 11 seasons in the majors and accumulating 109 home runs, 449 RBIs, and 514 runs. The Richmond, Va., native signed with the Atlantic League’s Long Island Ducks this offseason.
This season, he’s been on fire. Before his contract was acquired, he was on a 28-game hitting streak — the longest in Ducks history and just three games shy of equaling the all-time record for the Atlantic League.
The 34-year-old, in 40 games for Long Island, tallied 12 homers, 35 RBIs, and 36 runs, with a 1.203 on-base percentage. Watch his fourth homer of the season below.
“Jackie has been incredibly deserving of this opportunity,” said Ducks manager Lew Ford. “He has been one of the Atlantic League’s best hitters this season, and we look forward to watching him continue pursuing his goal of returning to the Major Leagues.”
This is the Ducks’ sixth contract this season to be bought out by an MLB franchise. The other players were outfielder Tyler Dearden (Minnesota Twins), infielder Rixon Wingrove (Minnesota Twins), and pitchers Matt Seelinger (Detroit Tigers), Tyler Zuber (Tampa Bay Rays), Chris Ellis (Arizona Diamondbacks), and Dan Straily (Chicago Cubs).
The Long Island Ducks are a professional minor league team that plays home games at Fairfield Properties Ballpark in Central Islip, located on Long Island. The team, part of the Atlantic League, has won four league championships. Read more here.
Jackie Bradley Jr. homerun
Top: Jackie Bradley Jr. during his time with the Long Island Ducks. (Credit: Long Island Ducks)
