If there was someone who rubbed their hands looking at the contracts that were agreed at the beginning of this season of MLB, that was the shortstop of the Boston Red Sox Xander Bogaerts.
The extensions that defenders of their position got like the young Fernando Tatís Jr. with the San Diego Padres ($ 340 million for 14 years) and Francisco Lindor with the New York Mets ($ 341 million for 10 seasons) open a new scenario in Bogaerts’ aspirations.
The Aruba-born infielder intends to exit his contract with the Red-legged in 2022. At that time Bogaerts He will be 30 years old and his intention is to get an agreement that guarantees him 30 million dollars a year.
Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are first in MLB All-Star voting for their respective positions. Red Sox manager Alex Cora believes it’s a testament to who they are. https://t.co/QCcFAWSd6E
– NESN (@NESN) June 15, 2021
It seems like a good time to assume that he will achieve his goal, seeing as the shortstops are being paid well.
He may have new arguments in his favor next winter break, when Corey Seager, Javier Baez, Carlos Correa and Trevor Story are expected to be on the free agent market.
In 2019 Bogaerts signed a six-year, $ 120 million extension that guarantees him an annual payment of $ 20 million, but he is reevaluating his options.
The bad news for the Red Sox is that Bogaerts has numbers to support his aspirations. He is currently .320 / .382 / .550 with 12 homers and 39 RBIs.
But he’s also coming off hitting .300 the last two years. His OPS in the previous three seasons is .907, comparable to the .956 Tatís Jr. achieved in his first two years in the league.
With three Silver Bats in eight years of service and the market in his favor, it is clear that Bogaerts can aspire to earn $ 30 million per season and that he will surely move in that direction.