Xander Bogaerts on new Red Sox deal: ‘You come now or you don’t’

Does the signing of Trevor Story mark the end of Xander Bogaerts in a Boston Red Sox uniform at the end of the 2022 MLB season?

Well, if it doesn’t, the Red Sox at least have themselves some leverage over the shortstop if the two sides can’t work out a deal that will keep him in Boston beyond this season and hopefully for the remainder of his career.

Bogaerts who has been one of the Red Sox most dedicated players over the last decade has an opportunity to opt-out of his current six-year, $120 million deal after the 2022 MLB season. The team can prevent that by offering a new deal in which Boogey seems open to negotiate, but with just a couple days left in spring training, the Sox short stop doesn’t see any new deal on the horizon ahead of Opening Day.

Xander Bogaerts not optimistic about a new deal with the Boston Red Sox

"“Is there any chance?  I don’t really think so,” Bogaerts said during an appearance on the Bradfo Sho podcast, via WEEI.  “You never know.  There can always be surprises.  But spring training is…”"

With Story now in the mix and young infield prospects like shortstop Marcelo Mayer, second baseman Nick Yorke and first baseman Triston Casas knocking on the door, the Red Sox could decide to move on from Bogaerts either via trade or letting him walk if he does decide to opt out.  As a team player, contract talks during the season isn’t what Bogaerts wants, so no deal prior to the season means those talks will have to wait till the season is over, which makes this a big season for the veteran shortstop.

"“It’s not even fair for the guys in the clubhouse because it’s a lot of distractions and have your teammates thinking about that,” Bogaerts said.  “You’re thinking about yourself too much.  I wouldn’t believe it’s fun to have this offer during the season and you have to play the next day and it starts going around in the media.”"

To sum it up, Bogaerts is telling Chaim Bloom and the Red Sox either come now with a new deal or don’t.  Those words and his stance will just lead to speculation and trade rumors once the MLB Trade Deadline gets closer, but that is the bed the Red Sox are making by now locking Bogaerts up now.  It is also the risk both the team and the player seem willing to take.

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Is Xander Bogaerts betting on himself?  Unlike 2019, he isn’t quick to make that commitment because this time around he is a more established player.  And a player some other team out there will shell out some major dough for whether it be at his natural position of short stop or perhaps a converted position like third base.

If he has a big season at the plate, showing off more power and clutch hitting, that big pay day will be out there and if the Boston Red Sox want him, they will then have to compete for the best offer.

In other words, no hometown discounts this time around.

"“We will see what happens at the end of the year, at the end of the season.  We have a couple of days in spring training.  We’ll see how it goes,” Bogarts said.  “It should be a fun season.  We’ll see how it goes at the end.  Hopefully, I play good and I have a nice decision to make.”"

Of course, there’s still a chance Xander Bogaerts opts in, but a big season likely means the opposite.  Sounds like he is already thinking that way and sounds like the Boston Red Sox are preparing for a departure if and when he does.