Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who has managed shortstop Xander Bogaerts for four seasons, would prefer to see the 29-year-old remain in a Boston uniform. As much was evident in his latest comments.
During an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Cora gave props to Bogaerts' approach at the plate -- which earned him MLB Player of the Week honors -- along with how others in the organization value the four-time American League All-Star.
"He's using the whole field, he's taking advantage of the shift, he's driving the ball to left-center," Cora said. "Also, with two strikes, he puts the ball in play, and sometimes he gets 'he gets lucky' but if you don't put the ball in play with two strikes, you're not gonna get lucky."
Bogaerts, who has spent the entirety of his 10-year major league career in Boston, has an opt-out option after this season under the current six-year contract (worth $120 million) he signed in 2019.
"I saw somewhere today that he's leading the shortstops in WAR. A good all-around year, a lot better defensively which is awesome for us. He's a guy that we respect, we like a lot, and the goal is for him to be here for a lot of years."
During Monday's loss against the Tampa Bay Rays, the night didn't serve as a complete loss for Bogaerts. The longtime Boston shortstop tied a team record alongside Red Sox alumni Kevin Youkilis, Jim Rice, and Roy Johnson.
Entering Tuesday's matchup against the Rays, Bogaerts currently leads the Red Sox in batting average (.317), on-base percentage (.384), runs (77), hits (153), and doubles (37).
