The Red Sox Are Close To Finalizing A Contract Extension With Xander Bogaerts
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Remember that time that everybody was bugging out, saying that the Red Sox’ window to win was closing because everyone was coming up on free agency? Remember that? And then remember when Dave Dombrowski just re-signed everybody? Remember that time?
If Jeff Passan’s figures are correct, then the Red Sox will have Xander Bogaerts under contract through his age-32 season at an average annual value of $20 million per year. Sign me the fuck up for that. Bogaerts is under contract for $12 million in 2019, and then the extension would kick in next season at six years, $120 million through 2025. There is also an opt-out after year-three of the extension, and a vesting option for $20 million in 2026 to make this potentially a seven-year, $140 million deal.
For being a Scott Boras client, the money, years and timing of this deal coming together are pretty surprising. Prior to the flurry of extensions over the past couple of months, I had Bogaerts and Nolan Arenado as the left side of the Yankees’ infield in 2020, but alas. Both stars were able to get extensions done with their respective clubs, and Bogaerts’ deal is a lot more team friendly than I had envisioned it. Don’t get me wrong — Bogaerts still got breaded up — but I thought he was going to free agency for sure. And if he did go the free agency route, much like Sale, he likely would’ve gotten more than what he signed for to forgo free agency and stay in Boston.
Since the start of the 2015 season, out of the 32 shortstops who have played at least 300 games, Bogaerts is first in hits (709) and doubles (148), second in runs (373), total bases (1,072) and extra-base hits (224), third in batting average (.291), fourth in on-base percentage (.350), sixth in OPS (.790), homers (63), and weighted on-base average (.348), and ninth in slugging (.440). So, yeah. He’s pretty good. And he’s your Red Sox shortstop for the foreseeable future.
Now, go pay Mookie.