All-Star SS Xander Bogaerts turns down extension from Red Sox
It was reported on Wednesday that Boston Red Sox star third baseman Rafael Devers recently turned down a contract extension offer from the organization. On Thursday, his fellow All-Star who shares the left side of the infield revealed that he and the team are in the same boat.
Bogaerts and Devers welcome newcomer Trevor Story to the Red Sox infield this spring in one what — on paper — looks to be one of the more feared lineups in baseball. Boston signed Story to a six-year, $140 million contract in March.
A two-time World Series champion, three-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Bogaerts has been one of the elite offensive shortstops in the American League since 2015. After debuting with 18 regular-season games in 2013 and struggling a bit as a rookie in 2014, the native of Aruba broke out the following year with 81 RBI, 35 doubles and what are still career highs in hits (196) and batting average (.320).
Bogaerts earned his first All-Star nod and second straight Silver Slugger in 2016 when he finished with career-bests in games played (157), at-bats (652) and runs scored (115), before seeing a dip in production in 2017. That year, No. 2 had a slash line of just .273/.343/.403 (all his lowest outputs from 2015 to 2021) and produced 10 home runs and 62 RBI.
The 29-year-old helped lead the Red Sox to a World Series title in 2018 by going for 23 home runs and 103 RBI and then had arguably his most well-rounded offensive campaign in 2019. That season, Bogaerts set career-highs in home runs (33), RBI (117), doubles (52), walks (76), on-base percentage (.384), slugging percentage (.555) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.939), while finishing fifth in the AL MVP voting.
"X" recorded 11 home runs and 28 RBI in the abbreviated 2020 season and finished with 23 home runs and 79 RBI in 2021.
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