We’ve reached the final stage of grief as it relates to Xander Bogaerts’ departure from the Boston Red Sox.
First, there was denial. How could the Red Sox not re-sign their franchise shortstop this past Major League Baseball offseason, opening the door for him to land a massive contract with the San Diego Padres? It just didn’t make sense.
Then came anger. A lot of it. Not from Bogaerts or the Red Sox, but from fans upset over the loss of a beloved homegrown talent. It was intense. And it was understandable. Bogaerts wasn’t just an excellent player for Boston. He was part of the organization’s and the city’s fabric, a leader on and off the field.
Eventually, that anger transitioned to bargaining — “if only the Red Sox did X, then they might’ve been able to keep Bogaerts for Y.” While the business of baseball (and sports, in general) oftentimes disrupts otherwise harmonious relationships, it doesn’t make the breakups any easier. Regret creeps in. What could Boston have done differently?
From there, the depression started. Because in addition to the Red Sox losing Bogaerts, his apparent replacement, Trevor Story, underwent elbow surgery that’ll sideline him for most of the 2023 season. And in Story’s absence, Boston’s shortstop situation only grew murkier, with inconsistent performance and subsequent injuries forcing manager Alex Cora to juggle his middle-infield combinations ad nauseum. Bogaerts, as fate would have it, went on a tear to begin his Padres tenure before cooling off.
All told, here’s the deal: The Red Sox, amid iffy outside expectations, have kept their heads above water, entering the weekend with a 24-20 record. The Padres, conversely, have been wildly disappointing, posting a 20-24 record despite visions of a World Series parade through San Diego later this year.
This isn’t to defend the Red Sox or to question the Padres. It’ll be years before we can fully assess the impact of Bogaerts leaving Boston to join San Diego. (He signed an 11-year contract!) And the conversation is so nuanced — does Rafael Devers sign his monstrous extension with the Red Sox, for instance, if Bogaerts re-signs? — that we might never be able to perfectly articulate the fallout.
