Xander Bogaerts played 1264 games with the Red Sox from 2013-2022. He opposed them for the first time this season. The four-time all-star and five-time Silver Slugger award winner signed a massive 11-year contract with the San Diego Padres this offseason worth $280 Million. The native of Aruba was a part of the Red Sox organization since he was a teenager. When his contract with San Diego expires, he will be 41 years old.
Photo Cred: NBC Sports
Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom failed to extend Bogaerts in the winter before the last year of his deal, reportedly offering him just a 4-year, $90 Million contract. Bogaerts played a role in winning two World Series in Boston, in 2013 and 2018, and was one of the faces of the franchise for the last five years. The San Diego Padres were happy to add Bogaerts to their star-studded lineup, which already featured all-stars Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Photo Cred: USA Today
Despite high expectations coming into the season, the Padres have struggled in the first two months. The main problem for the 2022 National League runner-up has been the inability to drive in runners in scoring position. Boston’s lineup hasn’t skipped a beat without Bogaerts; they currently are third in MLB in runs scored.
Right in the heart of the Boston batting order sits third baseman Rafael Devers, who the Red Sox extended the contract this offseason. Devers signed the largest contract in the history of the Boston Red Sox, at ten years, $313 Million. Devers and Bogaerts had secured the left side of Boston’s infield for five seasons together, and the two have a great relationship. He told the Boston Globe that the two still talk regularly.
Photo Cred: Boston.com
The Padres and Red Sox had a three-game series over the weekend, with Blake Snell on the mound for San Diego and James Paxton making his second Red Sox start. Bogaerts enters the series with a batting average of .275 with six home runs. He is a player who currently has the most extra-base hits in the majors (25) while sitting in the Top 5 for total bases.
