Red Sox 2019 Report Cards: Shortstop Xander Bogaerts

Evaluating the 2019 season of Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts and assigning a grade based on how his production lived up to expectations.

Xander Bogaerts has made a case for claiming the title of the best shortstop in baseball, which is really saying something considering the position is as loaded as it’s been in over a decade. His seventh season with the Boston Red Sox was easily his best and solidified Bogaerts’ status as a superstar.

Bogaerts set career-highs in virtually every category, hitting .309/.384/.555/.939 with 190 hits, 52 doubles, 33 home runs, and 117 RBI. His batting average ranked seventh in the American League and he was fifth in OPS. Bogaerts also tallied the second most doubles, extra-base hits and RBI in the league.

As a young prospect coming up through the Red Sox system, Bogaerts was projected to hit for both average and power. We’ve seen him contend in the batting title race before but his average fluctuated earlier in his career and he only showed flashes of his power potential. This is the year that Bogaerts finally put it all together.

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His power was the biggest leap, with Bogaerts topping the career-high in home runs he set last season by double digits. He continues to hit the ball to all fields at approximately the same rate that he always has but most of his power comes from the pull side with many of those home runs clearing the monster seats at Fenway Park.

Bogaerts made history with teammate Rafael Devers by becoming the first pair of teammates in MLB history to hit 30+ home runs and 50+ doubles in the same season. Bogaerts joined Alex Rodriguez as the only major league shortstops in the 30-homer, 50-double club.

While he was initially among the most baffling snubs in the voting process, Bogaerts was ultimately added to the All-Star team as an injury replacement. It was frustrating to see Bogaerts left out when the rosters were first announced and it would have been downright laughable to look back on now if he weren’t included. It was the second All-Star appearance of Bogaerts’ career and we can expect several more in his future.

Grade

Much was expected from Bogaerts as he approached his prime in his age 26 season but his production topped even our wildest expectations. FanGraphs valued Bogaerts at 6.8 WAR, which ranked fourth among AL position players this season. By this metric, Bogaerts was the most valuable player on the Red Sox. Had Boston made the playoffs, Bogaerts would deserve serious consideration for the MVP award.

Future Outlook

The Red Sox inked Bogaerts to a $120 million extension that locks him up for the next six seasons with a vesting $20 million option for 2026. The young shortstop made it clear that he wanted to remain in Boston for the long run and wasn’t worried about grabbing every last dollar, which is why he agreed to the new deal in April prior to what would have been his last season before hitting free agency.

Credit the Red Sox for striking the deal when they did. Had they waited until after his outstanding 2019 season, Boston would have had to pay significantly more regardless of how much Bogaerts wants to stay.

While the Red Sox intend to cut payroll this winter, Bogaerts’ role with the team is about as safe as it gets. He’s one of the pillars of the foundation for this team’s future and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.