BOSTON -- It certainly wasn't the first time, but there did appear to be a few doubletakes when some familiar cries reemerged throughout Fenway Park on Saturday.
"Xander!" "Bogey!" "Xander Bogaerts!"
It's been awhile, huh?
Xander Bogaerts returned to Boston over the weekend, joining the San Diego Padres on their road trip despite being ineligible to return from the injured list until some point in July. He couldn't, and wouldn't, miss an opportunity to return to the place he called home for a decade.
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"This was one you had marked on your calendar and looking forward to," Bogaerts said Friday.
The Red Sox did their part in making the return special, playing a video tribute in the opening game of the series set to DMX's "X Gon' Give It To Ya" -- one of his walk up songs. It featured signature moments from his tenure in Boston, which include two World Series wins, five Silver Slugger awards and one mammoth blast off Gerrit Cole in the 2021 American League Wild Card game.
"It was nice," Bogaerts told NESN's Jahmai Webster on Saturday. "I didn't know what to expect, but obviously I was very happy. It definitely brought back a lot of good memories, and there's a lot of people over there who helped me so I'm definitely appreciative of it."
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Bogaerts was extremely busy prior to each of the first two games of the series. He spent about 45 minutes speaking with Alex Cora, Ceddanne Rafaela and Rafael Devers at third base prior to Saturday's tilt, the place the he first made his name -- and where the guy who took over as face of the franchise currently resides. The 31-year-old then strolled underneath the cage and launched a few home runs into the Green Monster seats during batting practice, just as he'd done hundreds of times before.
He was back home, enjoying a comfortability that he's just recently started to develop out in San Diego.
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It's oftentimes said you don't enjoy the good times until they're gone. We won't claim that, because there's no doubt Red Sox fans enjoyed watching Bogaerts' career unfold, but there's little doubt about the newfound appreciation for what he was able to do in Boston.
The Red Sox haven't been able to find a permanent replacement for the only shortstop in franchise history to have 300 career doubles and 150 career home runs before turning 30.
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Trevor Story can't stay on the field. Rafaela inked a new contract to be the center fielder, but has been forced to play short. David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez and Bobby Dalbec have all gotten innings in the six hole, but none come close to being a legitimate full-time option.
Bogaerts was that guy for 10 years, and although both sides have moved on, it was nice that Fenway Park was able to thank him for his brilliance one more time.
Featured image via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
