Baseball duos don’t come much more dynamic than Mookie Betts and Xander Boegarts.
The Boston Red Sox right fielder and shortstop are projected to be Major League Baseball’s fourth-best duo for the 2020 season, according to MLB Stats. The “best duos” list is based on Fangraphs’ projections for their combined wins above replacement next season, and the Betts and Boegarts pair trails just the Oakland Athletics’ Marcus Semien and Matt Chapman, the Houston Astros’ Alex Bregman and George Springer’s and the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon in the running.
When it comes to 2020 partnerships, these were the best batter duos in 2019.
Which combination are you taking this coming season? pic.twitter.com/jKhL1ljLa4
— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) December 16, 2019
Betts’ WAR was 6.8 in 2019, and Bogaerts’ was 5.2. By projecting their combined 2020 WAR at 13, Fangraphs seemingly believes they’ll enjoy better combined seasons in 2020.
That would comfort Red Sox fans under normal circumstances, but Betts’ future with the team — he’s entering a contract year and has previously said he’ll test free agency — remains unclear. However, Betts undoubtedly will perform at a high level, despite the uncertainty, and if Bogaerts maintains or surpasses his 2019 form, Boston’s lineup should be as potent as it has in recent years.
