Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is about to put the league on notice
The Boston Red Sox shortstop is having a career season but missed out on the All-Star Game. He’s about to punish the league for the summertime snub.
With today’s news of the All-Star finalists, one name was curiously absent from the roster and that is Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Even though he is tops in the American League for shortstops he missed out on not only the fan voting but the secondary selection process as well. This can only add more fuel to the fire on an already hot season for Bogaerts.
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Yeah, the All-Star game is nice and can serve as validation. In most cases, it’s a joke of a process and a glorified popularity contest. With how this season is going I would venture a guess that the team would rather have a better spot in the standings than an All-Star selection, Bogey included. Sox right fielder Mookie Betts was honest when asked about the All-Star game selections.
“There’s a lot of guys on our team that are very deserving with Devers, Bogey and Vazqy,” Betts said. “Those guys have kind of been the people that have carried us all season, so in my opinion, they should definitely get more recognition. Those guys in particular that have made us go. Me and J.D. have been guys kind of in the rear to those guys.”
Boston is coming off of an embarrassing two-game sweep by the Yankees in London and will be making their way to Toronto for a new series on Tuesday. Even though the team didn’t get the results they were hoping for against New York one man went to London for a fight and that was Xander. He went 2-6 during the series while knocking in 2 RBI’s and earning 2 walks.
Bogey will be the face of the Red Sox for the foreseeable future thanks to a brand new 6-year/$120M extension signed just before the season began. Being that he’s only 26-years old and already has two World Series rings to his name, he’s only going to continue his ascent to the top. He’s shown in the first half of the season what he’s capable of not only at the plate but also in the field.
Xander currently leads the American League in doubles with 27 and is second in the Majors behind Josh Bell‘s 29. He also finds himself fourth overall for offensive WAR with a solid 3.8. Bogaerts is also one of the best fielding shortstops and ranks sixth in overall fielding in the AL. I can see these stats continuing to skyrocket as this season progresses and Bogey becomes even more locked in.
The rest of the league should be keeping an eye on what Bogey is up to on a nightly basis because eventually, he’ll be coming for them. The Yankees have been an unstoppable juggernaut this season and Xander still came to the plate today to smack a 2-run dinger in the first. He’s quickly putting himself in that category of guys that pitchers dread facing. When he’s on, he’s on, and that’s been pretty damn often in 2019.
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The Red Sox may not be having the type of season that befits a reigning World Series champion. But superstar shortstop Xander Bogaerts is having a career year and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. With the All-Star break approaching, he’s sure to dominate the league in the second half of the campaign.