Did Xander Bogaerts’ Agent Change Stance On In-Season Contract Talks?

Xander Bogaerts’ agent, Scott Boras, back in May shot down the possibility of working out a contract extension with the Boston Red Sox during the 2022 Major League Baseball season.

“There won’t be any negotiations during the season. That’s our stance,” Boras told The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham at the time. “I look forward to talking to (Red Sox principal owner) John (Henry) and (chairman) Tom (Werner) about Xander after their season.”

Well, two months later, it sounds like Boras might’ve changed his stance.

“My ears are always open,” Boras said Monday during All-Star Game media day in Los Angeles, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “I meet with the owners a lot. There’s nothing that prevents them from talking to me or me talking to him.”

Obviously, that’s a vague comment. And perhaps we shouldn’t read too much into it, especially with Bogaerts indicating Monday he hasn’t yet discussed a contract extension with the Red Sox during the season and doesn’t anticipate any negotiations taking place until the offseason.

But it’s still a slight deviation from Boras’ previous stance. Therefore, it’s worth noting as questions linger over Bogaerts’ long-term future in Boston.

Bogaerts, who has four years remaining on the six-year contract extension he signed with Boston in 2019, can opt out of his deal and become a free agent this winter. It seems likely the four-time All-Star will test the open market, given his consistent production and the likelihood of him landing a more lucrative payday, and it’ll be fascinating to see whether the Red Sox make a strong push to keep him around.

Both Bogaerts and the Red Sox have expressed interest in continuing their relationship beyond the 2022 campaign. Maybe now, with Boras effectively leaving the door open for in-season talks, the sides can get a head-start down the stretch on trying to find common ground.

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