Xander Bogaerts’ 2019 season has only seen him get better. His production during this past year has him at the very top of MLB shortstops.
For the 2019 Boston Red Sox, there’ve been two clear standout players – Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts. The latter of which has shown over the past two seasons that he is among the league’s most elite at his position. Shortstop is undoubtedly one of the most important positions on the diamond and also one of the most stacked in the majors at this point in time.
Boston’s 26-year-old shortstop has been an important player since first appearing on the major league stage back in the Sox’s victorious 2013 campaign. However, Xander has reached new levels over the past two seasons, this year specifically. He’s already equaled his greatest single-season RBI total, as well as beating his single-season career-high in home runs, and September has only just begun.
In a season where Boston has struggled to live up to their record-breaking 2018 pace, Bogaerts has carried so much of the workload – ultimately being a huge reason as to how the Red Sox are only 5.5 games shy of a Wild card spot with a month left of the season.
The shortstop has appeared in all but five of Boston’s regular-season games so far this year and has been responsible for so many of the team’s wins. Earning his second career All-Star appearance during the season, Bogaerts has produced one of the individual seasons to remember in recent Red Sox history.
Bogaerts is the first Red Sox shortstop to reach 30 home runs and 100 RBI in a single season since Nomar Garciaparra reached this feat in the 1998 season. This is a sensational record, and there are plenty more tidbits and solo-records that Bogaerts’ season has provided.
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With so much talk about the Red Sox front office and how they’re going to handle the league’s largest payroll going forward, Bogaerts’ extension is definitely one of the things that they got correct. This guy is not only a stud on the diamond and at the plate, but he’s also a leader and an extremely vital part of this Red Sox clubhouse. His experience, which spans back to being a part of the 2013 World Championship side, could prove to be a difference-maker at times like these – where the Sox just need to win games and hope that the likes of Tampa Bay, Oakland, and Cleveland make mistakes.
Whatever way the 2019 season ends, there’s no doubt that, although it’s been a disappointment as a whole, we’ve seen some incredible moments and performances. Bogaerts has been responsible for a large percentage of these.
Both Bogaerts and Devers have had seasons worthy of being in the AL MVP conversation. There are plenty of other players from outside the ballclub who are also worthy, and one of these external talents will more-than-likely pick up the award, but it doesn’t take away anything from two sensational seasons from two extremely talented Boston infielders.
Bogaerts will become even more important to this ballclub than he already is, moving forward. On the field, perhaps we shouldn’t expect another season as phenomenal as this next season, but how can you not after seeing what Bogaerts is able to do on an everyday basis.