Emotional Final Game of the Season for Xander Bogaerts.
The 2022 Red Sox season is officially over. The Red Sox finished their disappointing season with a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, finishing with a record of 78-84.
Yesterday’s final game was a very emotional one. We started the night by saying goodbye and thank you to longtime broadcaster and Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley. J.D. Martinez hit two home runs in what could be his final game in a Red Sox uniform. He exited in the 8th inning after being pinch hit for. Martinez walked off the field to a standing ovation from the Fenway crowd as he waved a potential goodbye. J.D. Martinez was not the only one to leave the game to a standing ovation. Xander Bogaerts was pulled from the game in the top of the 7th. He exited by hugging his teammates and waving to a cheering crowd that was not sure if this is the end of Bogaerts’ time in Boston.
Xander Bogaerts is now a free agent by exercising his opt-out. Many fans, players, and even Red Sox ownership have expressed their desire to bring back the superstar shortstop. But the task of resigning Xander will not be easy. The Red Sox have already low balled him earlier this year, offering him only one more year to his current contract for $30 million. This news came right before Opening Day this past April, and since then, there has been little progress between the Red Sox and Bogaerts.
The Red Sox Need Xander Bogaerts, But Xander Bogaerts Doesn’t Need the Red Sox.
The Red Sox need Xander Bogaerts, but Xander Bogaerts doesn’t necessarily need the Red Sox. Xander is a home-grown player, drafted out of Aruba at only sixteen years old. He burst onto the scene in 2013, contributing to a World Series title, along with another one in 2018. He accepted a team-friendly contract extension in 2019, where he took a hometown discount of $20 million a year over 6 years. However, the Red Sox shouldn’t expect Bogaerts to take another discount. It’s now time to pay him, because Xander knows there are plenty of teams who are willing to pay him, too.
Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer, Chaim Bloom, has stated that Xander is their number one priority this offseason. According to a tweet below from MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox are looking to waste zero time in bringing back Bogaerts.
Xander will most likely turn down the Red Sox’s offers and explore other options this winter. It’s hard to blame him for it. Xander has been nothing but fair and cordial throughout this frustrating season, and he has every right to get every penny that he is worth this offseason. After yesterday’s game, Xander stated that he is going home to Aruba to disconnect from baseball for a while. He continued by saying, “I need it a lot – more than in most seasons.”
It’s Time for Urgency for the Red Sox
This offseason is crucial in deciding the future success of the Red Sox. Xander Bogaerts should be the franchise player that the Red Sox need, and he deserves to be paid for it. For the first time in Xander’s career, he will be able to talk to other teams. The Red Sox will have competition on signing him back. Ownership has expressed their urgent desire to bring him back, which is one of the only comforting parts going into free agency. But for now, we will wait for more news and rumors regarding signing Xander Bogaerts back to Boston. Let us hope that yesterday’s game wasn’t the last time we see Xander in a Red Sox uniform.
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