Did Alex Bregman’s Instagram Stunt Fuel Red Sox? Xander Bogaerts Opens Up

Why opposing players provided the Boston Red Sox with bulletin board material in these Major League Baseball playoffs remains a mystery.

The Red Sox didn’t lose a game in the American League Division Series after New York Yankees star Aaron Judge blasted “New York, New York” at Fenway Park following Game 2, and the same was true after Alex Bregman took to Instagram in an attempt to troll Boston leading up to Game 3 of the AL Championship Series.

Achieving the ultimate goal of winning a World Series is enough to get any player fired up, but Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts didn’t hide from the fact that hijinx like Judge’s and Bregman’s don’t go unnoticed.

“We’re human. We see it, and even if we don’t see it we hear it,” Bogaerts told WEEI’s Rob Bradford after the Red Sox punched their ticket to the Fall Classic on Thursday. “I think it was a nice way to win three games and make them feel a little bad for posting it.”

In addition to troll efforts, the Red Sox surely have been fueled by the naysayers who doubt Boston’s chances of winning a title. It’s fairly baffling to Bogaerts, who hopes the haters continue to sleep on the AL champions.

“I don’t understand why,” Bogaerts said. “We have 108 wins, more wins than anyone and they keep picking against us. Hopefully, they pick against us in the World Series and we come out winning again.”