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Jackie Bradley Jr. is taking a patient approach in free agency

Jackie Bradley Jr. isn't climbing the walls waiting for an offer; he has been preoccupied with a newborn son.Jim Davis/Globe Staff/The Boston Globe

Sleep is at a minimum for outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. these days. On Dec. 3, Bradley and his wife, Erin, received an early Christmas gift when they welcomed their second child, Jackie Bradley III, into the world.

That has been Bradley’s main focus, even though he’s a free agent in a market that has been extremely slow to this point.

“I’ve always been, you know, of the mind-set that everything will work out the way it should,” Bradley said. “It’s honestly been about being home with my family at the moment, especially with a newborn, so we’re kind of adjusting and adapting.”

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Bradley has taken a measured and patient approach to this free agency period. He also has kept a realistic one. Bradley knows the pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding 2021 could make this even more of a drawn-out process.

“Writers, players, whoever it may be — owners — kind of knew it was going to be a slow offseason,” Bradley said. “I feel like everybody is kind of trying to get more information about what’s going to go on with the pandemic. Making sure that everybody’s protected in a certain way. So we ... forecast the flow, but it’ll pick up when it does.”

What will the market look like for Jackie Bradley, Jr. this offseason?Jim Davis/Globe Staff/Boston Globe

In Bradley’s case, things might start to pick up when George Springer, the most coveted free agent outfielder, signs. But Bradley is garnering a decent amount of interest. The Red Sox certainly weren’t shy about expressing theirs, with general manager Brian O’Halloran stating recently that Bradley is “definitely on our radar.”

The two sides have had contact, Bradley said. His good season in 2020 — .283/.364/.450 with 7 homers in 217 plate appearances — certainly didn’t diminish the Sox’ interest in bringing him back. Yet Bradley knows there’s a difference between conversing with a club and a deal being made.

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“Things will happen when it does,” Bradley said. “We’ll all find out. We’ll see what’s really dialoguing and what’s going to come to fruition.”

Bradley, who will be 31 in April, is adamant that he’s on the better side of 30. Even though last season was just 60 games, he truly believes he has figured something out at the plate. Some of that revolves around him not caring so much about exit velocity, and in turn just making contact and getting hits, even if they’re “cheap.”

‘“I’ve always been, you know, of the mindset that everything will work out the way it should. ... It’s honestly been about being home with my family at the moment, especially with a newborn, so we’re kind of adjusting and adapting.”’

Jackie Bradley Jr.

It helped to simplify his approach at the plate in 2020, he said, and he plans on taking that into next season.

There are places that might be a fit for Bradley. The Phillies are in need of an outfielder. Former Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski now is president of baseball ops in Philadelphia. Though Bradley’s name was thrown around in trade talks, Dombrowski never pulled the trigger during his Boston tenure.

The Blue Jays and Astros also present interesting cases for pursuing Bradley.

That time will come when it comes, as Bradley pointed out. In the meantime, he had daddy duties this week, along with a quick breather at the golf course near his home in Naples, Fla.

When asked if he would name any teams beyond the Red Sox who had interest, Bradley offered a shrewd answer.

“I don’t want to give up all my cards,” he said. “There’s definitely interest, and I’m very thankful that there is.”

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Julian McWilliams can be reached at julian.mcwilliams@globe.com. Follow him @byJulianMack.