Alex Cora joined the slew of Red Sox players who bid farewell to Xander Bogaerts.
The five-time Silver Slugger departed Boston this week and signed an 11-year deal with the San Diego Padres. Bogaerts debuted with the Red Sox in 2013 and helped the organization to two World Series championships. The 30-year-old was the unofficial captain of the team, was beloved among the fan base and his teammates and was one of the most coveted shortstops on the free agent market.
Shortly after Bogaerts ‘ deal became official with the Padres and he was introduced in front of the San Diego media for the first time, Red Sox manager Alex Cora took to Instagram to say goodbye to Bogaerts.
“¡Gracias!,” Cora captioned the photo.
It’s unclear what’s next for the Red Sox when it comes to the shortstop position. Front office executives have discussed a “Plan B,” and have internal options, as well. There’s still time in the offseason to fill the void, but Bogaerts’ shoes are awfully big ones to fill.
