For some reason, be it the suitableness of his game, his relaxed demeanor or the lofty expectations levied on him as a teenager, Xander Bogaerts is seen as a very good — but not great — player.
However, it’s time to recognize the Boston Red Sox star for what he is: One of the elite shortstops in Major League Baseball.
Through 57 games, Bogaerts is hitting .304 with 12 homers, 40 RBIs and a .927 OPS which, if it holds, would be a career high. The strong performance comes on the heels of the 26-year-old’s breakout 2018 season, in which he hit .288 with 23 home runs, 103 RBIs and a career-high .883 OPS.
None of this should come as a surprise, considering how Bogaerts has performed since 2015, his second full season in the big leagues.
Xander Bogaerts’ rankings among MLB shortstops, 2015-19:
.295 AVG – 1st
375 RBI – 1st
413 runs – 1st
164 doubles – 1st
760 hits – 1st(min. 300 games at SS)
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) June 5, 2019
Of course, Bogaerts is a different player today than he was a few years ago. He has a greater impact on the lineup, has a more prominent voice in the clubhouse and, most importantly, has performed well when it matters most.
Xander Bogaerts .342/.406/.632 in his last 27 games with 17 XBHs, 24 RBI, 30 runs.
Second among AL shortstops for the season in OPS.
At 26, with two rings, becoming an influential voice in the clubhouse, too. Really has blossomed into everything the Sox hoped for.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) June 5, 2019
Now, Bogaerts isn’t the wizard with the glove that someone like Andrelton Simmons is. Honestly, he’s probably not even top-five at the position. But he has become an above-average defender, one who rarely makes mistakes.
This season, Bogaerts ranks 10th among qualifying shortstops in Fangraphs’ defensive rating, a year after finishing 12th. He has committed six errors, which puts him on track to finish with more than the 10 he committed in 2018. All in all, Bogaerts ranks average-to-above average among qualifying shortstops in most defensive statistical categories.
(It’s worth noting that Bogaerts has missed just four games this season, while injuries and planned off days cost him 26 games last year.)
Bogaerts, after a terrific diving play to his right, knew exactly how much time he had w/Hundley running. His feel for the timing of the position has improved drastically. He no longer makes the sloppy errors he once committed in bunches. All worthwhile context re: Devers defense
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) May 1, 2019
Listen, we’re not going to tell you that Bogaerts is in the same class as Francisco Lindor Carlos Correa, or even a healthy Corey Seager. We’re just telling you he’s awfully close to that level and, if he continues improving at his current pace, will belong in that conversation by season’s end.
But he doesn’t even need to be that good. The truth of the matter is Boston has one of the best shortstops in baseball, something that shouldn’t be taken for granted considering the decade that followed Nomar Garciaparra’s departure in 2004. Better yet, the Red Sox get Bogaerts at an absurdly reasonable price for the next six years.
If you’re still complaining about Xander Bogaerts, then there’s no hope for you.
