Will the Red Sox give Xander Bogaerts a brand new contract?
When the Boston Red Sox season ended on Wednesday night time, everybody braced themselves for an extended fall and iciness of Xander Bogaerts rumors.
Because even if the entrance place of business has formally deemed him their ‘No. 1 priority’ and stated they’re attending to paintings on negotiations ‘right away,’ their previous dealings with homegrown stars have given the Fenway Faithful 0 reason why to imagine that their captain is staying. Past precedent means that Bogaerts will likely be profitable a World Series ring with a brand new group throughout the subsequent two years. That’s what took place for Jon Lester and Mookie Betts, anyway.
But hours after the end-of-season press convention on Thursday morning, a lot of which focused at the subject of Bogaerts, Sean McAdam of Boston Sports Journal reported that the wheels are already in movement:
“… multiple sources have told BostonSportsJournal.com that it already has. The Red Sox have wasted little time getting to work on getting a new deal done with Bogaerts. The team, including principal owner John Henry and team chairman Tom Werner, has met with Bogaerts “several times,” within the remaining week, a supply stated.”
Could it actually be that straightforward?
Of direction no longer, put your champagne and glowing cider again within the refrigerator. McAdam additionally famous that Bogaerts’ agent, Scott Boras, was once no longer provide for those chats:
“One source said no new proposals were exchanged at the meetings, which were conducted without the presence of Bogaerts’ agent, Scott Boras. Rather, the meetings were held to emphasize to Bogaerts that the team wants to retain him and will make him its top priority.”
Well, that’s no longer not anything.
It was once already public wisdom, even showed by way of Bogaerts himself, that the membership hadn’t made a brand new be offering for the reason that spring and that there hadn’t been any respectable negotiations. However, talking with out Boras would possibly if truth be told lend a hand issues alongside. The super-agent is understood for encouraging his shoppers to dive into loose company to get probably the most profitable offers. Bryce Harper, Max Scherzer, and Gerrit Cole are amongst his many ‘crème de la crème’ shoppers.
If Bogaerts doesn’t decide out and takes a handle the Sox someday earlier than the World Series ends, it wouldn’t be the primary time he went in opposition to his agent’s recommendation. In the spring of 2019, Bogaerts approached the Sox about an extension and informed Boras to make it occur. The outcome was once a six-year extension, however an excessively team-friendly one. By the tip of the yr, Bogaerts was once an All-Star, had completed 5th in American League MVP balloting, and gained his 3rd Silver Slugger award; the deal was once straight away a discount. He’s greater than earned a elevate.
Red Sox possession has come underneath hearth for shying clear of the media since buying and selling Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in February 2020, amongst different justified gripes. Between fending off talking publicly on membership issues and their center of attention on Liverpool FC and the newly-acquired Pittsburgh Penguins, amongst different endeavors, the realization in Boston is that Fenway Sports Group isn’t longer prioritizing their authentic group. Not showing at Thursday’s press convention did little to refute that declare, however getting a deal finished with Bogaerts within the coming weeks would. If possession needs enthusiasts to imagine them, they wish to display up and pay up.
Otherwise, enthusiasts gained’t, both.