Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts built quite the friendship over the last six seasons as Boston Red Sox teammates.
And now Devers will play with a new shortstop for the first time in his Major League Baseball career after Bogaerts reportedly agreed to an 11-year deal with the San Diego Padres worth $280 million at the winter meetings. Devers often referred to the five-time Silver Slugger as his brother and often spoke highly of him and many Red Sox fans were wondering what that means for the third baseman.
Devers will be a free agent at the end of the 2023 season but for now, he’ll take his corner position without Bogaerts to his left.
The 26-year-old followed Kiké Hernández’s lead and bid farewell to Bogaerts with a touching Instagram story.
Translated from Google, it reads, “Thank you for teaching me many things. I’m always going to admire you as a person and as a baller, the best. You’re an example to follow.”
It’s unclear what’s next for the Red Sox at shortstop, but it’s going to be tough to fill the void Bogaerts leaves behind.
