Red Sox No Longer Favorites To Land Xander Bogaerts, New Team Emerges
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It seems increasingly likely that the Boston Red Sox will regret allowing Xander Bogaerts to reach free agency.
There are three confirmed suiters for Bogaerts' services according to Red Sox beat writer Marino Pepén, and Boston was not on the top of the list.
Pepén ranked the teams in order of interest and earning potential. The Philadelphia Phillies were placed at the top, Boston came in second, and the San Diego Padres were third.
The Phillies' interest in Bogaerts has been well known, and likely led by Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. After finishing as the runner-up in the World Series, the perennially aggressive Dombrowski certainly will be looking to make a major splash.
The Red Sox and Bogaerts have had a longstanding mutual interest in a new deal for a long time, but at some point, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom needs to put a contract on the table that Bogaerts will not turn down.
The Padres' interest in Bogaerts has emerged very recently, and their commitment level is unknown. Pepén appears confident that a sizeable offer will be given to Bogaerts, if it hasn't already.
Reports such as Pepén's should be a reminder for the Red Sox front office that they will lose their star shortstop if they do not pay up, and soon. There's a good chance Bogaerts' departure could mark the final days for third baseman Rafael Devers as well.
Bogaerts is armed with the best agent in Major League Baseball, Scott Boras. He's not the guy to lowball, especially with a player of Bogaerts' caliber generating interest league-wide.
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