Here's Eight Teams Reportedly In Pursuit Of Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts
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The Boston Red Sox are expected to have a franchise-altering offseason coming up with multiple members of their core expected to enter free agency -- none more prominent than shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
While Bogaerts hasn't ruled out reaching an agreement with Boston before season's end, it doesn't appear to be remotely possible with under a week left to go. Now it's being reported that the market for premier shortstops is going to be a large one, as expected.
"The (St. Louis) Cardinals, (San Francisco) Giants, (Philadelphia) Phillies and (Chicago) Cubs are among teams that could join the Red Sox, (Los Angeles) Dodgers, (Atlanta) Braves and (Minnesota) Twins in pursuit of one of the big free-agent shortstops -- Trea Turner, Dansby Swanson, Carlos Correa or Xander Bogaerts (Correa and Bogaerts will be opting out)," the New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote Thursday.
Arguably the most notable aspect of Heyman's report is the noted absence of the New York Yankees, who reportedly are content withdrawing from the shortstop sweepstakes for the second year in a row.
Bogaerts is hitting .309 with 38 doubles, 14 home runs, 69 RBIs and a .836 OPS in 146 games. The 29-year-old's 5.6 WAR ranks first among free-agent shortstops and No. 16 in Major League Baseball this season.
Of the eight teams, it's safe to assume that some will have either Correa, Turner or Swanson ahead of Bogey on their priority lists, but the unofficial captain of the Red Sox will be on the radar of any smart organization.
Should Bogaerts enter free agency following the five-day exclusive negotiation window, Boston appears to have stiff competition for his services. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom claimed to want Bogaerts in Boston for the rest of his career. Fans will have to hope he's true to his word.
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