Amid a confusing season at the plate, Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts still is among the game's best hitters.
If Red Sox fans were polled about Bogaerts' overall offensive production this season, you'd likely find that his contributions have not met expectations of those who watch him play daily. His .848 OPS is the lowest mark he's posted since 2017 and his 49 extra-base hits put him well-below pace of his production in previous years.
Yet he currently is in the lead for the American League batting title and just strung together an impressive run of multi-hit games. The Red Sox slugger is ranked as the No. 7 hitter in MLB.com's latest installment of hitter power rankings.
"Before going 0-for-3 on Tuesday, Bogaerts had notched multiple hits in nine straight games, tying Roy Johnson, Jim Rice and Kevin Youkilis for the longest streak in Red Sox history," MLB.com posted Thursday as part of a roundtable. "Heading into Thursday's action, Bogaerts (.315) had pushed past the (Minnesota) Twins’ Luis Arraez (.314) for what would be his first career batting title, and muscled his way into the top 10 for the first time."
Bogey might not have elite power numbers but he is still putting together a highly productive season at the plate despite battling injuries for months.
