The Red Sox, if they wanted to, could cash in some serious chips at the MLB trade deadline. And the crown jewel of such a decision would be shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Boston is fighting for its playoff life at the moment, and with Bogaerts’ uncertain future, entertaining trade offers for the All-Star shortstop in potentially the final year of his deal is certainly an option for Chaim Bloom and the baseball operations department. Doing so, of course, would not only signal a white flag on the 2022 season, but it could also signify an extended rebuilding process that might take its toll on next season, too.
Which is why Bogaerts’ postgame comments Thursday night are quite interesting, just a few days before the Aug. 2 deadline. Bogaerts told reporters Boston brass informed him they will not be moving Bogaerts before the deadline.
Asked about any direct assurances of that, Bogaerts said “I’m not sure if I can say that, but yes.”
Unsurprisingly, the shortstop believes that’s helped him refocus on the task at hand, which is helping the suddenly stumbling Sox get back into the playoff picture. He did that in a big way Thursday night with the eventual game-winning three-run home run against Cleveland, a team with which the Red Sox are fighting for a wild-card spot.
“I don’t know if I should say that (about the assurance), but I hope I don’t get in trouble. But yeah, much better like that,” he told reporters, per the Boston Herald’s Jason Mastrodonato. “Communication is always huge in everything in life. To get that type of feedback is beneficial, I would say.”
That jibes with what the Red Sox have been saying for some time. If Boston wants Bogaerts — who can opt out after this season and become a free agent — to sign with the team for the long term, trading him isn’t really an option. Bloom came out and basically said as much Thursday morning, telling WEEI “we’re not planning to” trade Bogaerts — or third baseman Rafael Devers. That echoed similar declarations from Sam Kennedy earlier in the week.
Bogaerts having a no-trade clause also is part of this calculus, too, it should be mentioned.
However, if the Red Sox weren’t committing to this season and weren’t optimistic about their ability or desire to sign Bogaerts to an extension, one has to imagine Bogaerts would be open to a short-term stay somewhere for the stretch run in order to chase another title. Instead, he’s publicly pleading for the team to add, not subtract, by Aug. 2.
That the Red Sox have, according to Bogaerts, assured him he won’t be moved, that’s a pretty clear indication they don’t plan on selling everyone at the deadline. That’s despite the fact there are a host of All-Star-caliber players like Bogaerts, Nathan Eovaldi, J.D. Martinez and Christian Vazquez all potentially in the final years of their respective deals.
Selling everyone but Bogaerts doesn’t really seem like a likely path, either, for multiple reasons. If the Red Sox are committed to re-signing him, giving up on 2022 wouldn’t exactly be an olive branch, especially given Bogaerts’ hopes the team is aggressive before the deadline. Moving everyone around him would not be a great sales pitch about the future of the club.
Furthermore, if the Red Sox weren’t actually committed to making an earnest attempt to re-sign Bogaerts, letting him play out the string then opting out wouldn’t be ideal asset management. It kind of has to be one or the other when it comes to Bogaerts, and keeping him is at least a tacit admission the team is holding out hope for more success in 2022.
It’s certainly possible. In the quartet of Michael Wacha, Rafael Devers, Rich Hill and Trevor Story, Boston currently has more than 8 WAR on the injured list nearing returns. Garrett Whitlock has settled back into a dominant relief role, shoring up a shaky bullpen. The returns of Wacha and Hill should stabilize the rotation and could even pave the way for someone like Kutter Crawford (eight earned runs allowed in his last 28 innings) to move to the bullpen and further strengthen that unit.
That alone still might not be enough to get the Red Sox back on the postseason path, which is why Bogaerts is probably hopeful the team adds, not subtracts, at the deadline. Given what we now know he’s been told, it’s easier to assume that’s the route the Red Sox take leading up to 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
