Latest reports don’t bode well for a Bogaerts return to Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
What are the chances of Xander Bogaerts re-signing with the Boston Red Sox?
Well, based on the latest reports and information over the last 24 hours, the odds of him staying in Boston don’t seem very good.
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Longtime MLB reporter Peter Gammons tweeted Wednesday morning that he’s been told by multiple people that Bogaerts, who is an unrestricted free agent, has “severed ties” with the Red Sox and “won’t be going back”.
ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted early Wednesday afternoon that agents believe Bogaerts will earn a contract well above what the Red Sox initially offered earlier this year.
The speculation among agents who don’t represent Xander Bogaerts is that he’s going to do very well, given that he’s coveted by a lot of teams — and they’re predicting a final deal total that’ll be many tens of millions of dollars more than the final Red Sox offer in the spring.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 30, 2022
Bogaerts finished sixth in the AL with a .307 batting average, while also hitting 15 home runs with 73 RBI and a .833 OPS over 150 games during the 2022 season. He won the American League Silver Slugger Award at shortstop for the fifth time in his career.
Bogaerts turned 30 in October, so he remains in the prime of his career. Losing his bat in the lineup would be a huge blow to Boston’s offense.
Which Boston athlete would you most like to have locked up long term?
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) November 30, 2022
The Red Sox didn’t re-sign Mookie Betts and instead traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. They also didn’t re-sign Jon Lester and traded him to the Oakland Athletics in 2014.
Going down a similar path with Bogaerts would not be a good look for the franchise, to say the least. Not only did the Red Sox finish last in the American League East in 2022, Bogaerts is a fan favorite who has played his entire MLB career in Boston.
But right now, based on the latest reports, it looks like the Red Sox are in danger of losing him for nothing as a free agent.