It was almost as if Red Sox fans gave Xander Bogaerts some extra fuel in the eighth inning Monday night.
Those in attendance at Fenway Park showered the Boston shortstop with a “Re-sign Xander!” chant moments after J.D. Martinez gave the Red Sox a late, one-run lead over the Houston Astros. Bogaerts made the Fenway Faithful look like a wise bunch, as he proceeded to drill a two-run home run that gave his team a little extra breathing room.
After Boston’s 6-3 win over the reigning American League champions, Bogaerts admitted he was cognizant of the chant during his high-pressure at-bat. The three-time All-Star also acknowledged it would have been a pretty tough look for him had he not come through in some fashion.
“I heard it,” Bogaerts told reporters, per MassLive. “If I struck out, it wouldn’t have helped my cause.”
Bogaerts, who’s in his 10th season with the Red Sox, is eligible to opt out of his contract following the 2022 campaign. While the 29-year-old recently told The Boston Globe he’s trying to stay present and not think about his contract situation, he also seemed to suggest he would be open to in-season talks.
“I don’t know how this would work,” Bogaerts told The Globe. “But if they talk to Scott (Boras) behind closed doors and it’s something that’s fair, he can come to me. We’ll see how that goes.”
As for the here and now, Bogaerts and the Red Sox will try to win their three-game series against the Astros on Tuesday night. NESN’s full coverage of the middle contest begins at 6 p.m. ET.
