How Xander Bogaerts Cemented Lasting Legacy During Great Red Sox Tenure

Xander Bogaerts rose to stardom during a storied career with the Boston Red Sox.

The Aruba native joined the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2009. Four years later, Bogaerts made his MLB debut and quickly jumped into the expedited process of growing up in the middle of a pennant race.

That development led to a pair of championships, sustained production and a lasting mark on the Red Sox franchise. And those pillars of growth come to mind when assessing Bogaerts’ legacy with Boston.

Bogaerts, currently out with a shoulder injury, returns to Fenway Park on Friday night for the first time since leaving the Red Sox to sign a megadeal with the San Diego Padres before the 2023 season.

Let’s revisit his lasting impact on the Red Sox.

Latest Franchise Shortstop
The Red Sox won two championships in the 21st century prior to Bogaerts’ big-league arrival in 2013. Those teams got important defense at shortstop from Orlando Cabrera and Julio Lugo, but Boston lacked a star at the position following the trade of Nomar Garciaparra at the 2004 deadline.

Garciaparra set the tone at shortstop for the Red Sox and became a fan favorite in Boston. The 1997 American League Rookie of the Year hit .323 with a .923 OPS as a five-time All-Star across nine seasons in Boston. It took until Bogaerts’ rise to bring long-term stability back to the position.

While his development took time, and his defense did not always match the elite level of his overall abilities, Bogaerts absolutely became a fixture at the position. He gave the Red Sox a franchise player at shortstop, something the position rarely presented throughout its history in Boston.

That type of stability allowed the ballclub to grow with culture and establish a successful core in that generation of the team.

Successful Star
Bogaerts had a whirlwind rush with his late start in 2013 and went through some growing pains in 2014.

From there, Bogaerts began his rise as an elite offensive talent at shortstop, hitting .320 and winning his first of five Silver Slugger awards with the Red Sox in 2015. He earned his first All-Star nod in 2016 and ended his Boston tenure with back-to-back selections in 2021 and 2022.

His other All-Star selection came in a dominant 2019 season where the Red Sox shortstop did damage at the plate. Bogaerts slashed .309/.384/.555 while smashing 33 home runs with 52 doubles, 117 RBIs and a .939 OPS — by far his best offensive season in Boston.

Bogaerts never failed to hit like a star and emerged as a force in the Red Sox lineup year in and year out.

Undeniable Leadership
Bogaerts became a model superstar with the Red Sox. He was consistently available on the field, led in the clubhouse and embodied the role of a star player to the fullest.

That impact still resonates on the current squad at Fenway Park.

Bogaerts had an important role in the development of Rafael Devers. The duo shared the left side of the infield, giving Devers a mentor to rely on as he, too, grew into a superstar in Boston. Devers became the face of the team when he signed his own massive contract upon Bogaerts’ departure after the 2022 season.

Bogaerts served as a valuable leader while wearing the Red Sox uniform and set a precedent that Boston hopes its next young core can match in the coming years.