Xander Bogaerts has swagger — even when he’s mired in an 0-for-16 slump.
Bogaerts, who is hitless over his last four games, didn’t bat an eyelash Wednesday following another 0-for-4 effort in the Boston Red Sox’s 6-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. The 21-year-old instead expressed confidence that he’ll soon heat up.
“I’m human. We all make mistakes. We all struggle. We all go through tough stretches,” Bogaerts said, according to WEEI.com’s Alex Speier. “I’m going to be fine. Sit back, relax and enjoy. I’ll be fine.”
Bogaerts’ average has dropped from .299 to .278 amid his four-game skid, in which he’s struck out five times. His on-base percentage, which hovered around .400 at the beginning of the month, has dropped to .367.
Bogaerts bouncing back is critical to the Red Sox’s offense getting on track, and the rookie insists he doesn’t carry his struggles from one game to the next.
“Today is a new day with a different pitcher,” Bogaerts said. “It’s not like the same guy from yesterday is throwing today. As a hitter, also, you try to go up there. It’s a new day, new at-bats and you try to go up there and do the best you can. You go out there every day, you think you’re going to get a lot of hits, but some nights it doesn’t go your way. But, I’m human and I’ll get through it.”
Bogaerts, who shifted to third base upon Stephen Drew’s return, reached base 89 times before the beginning of June — the most ever by a Red Sox rookie and most by an American League rookie through the end of May since Ichiro Suzuki reached 97 times with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.
