Red Sox News: Xander Bogaerts trade rumors start to heat up

Will Xander Bogaerts be moved before the MLB Trade Deadline?

The hottest name in baseball media outlets right now is current Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, and it’s for reasons that you might not have expected this early in the season.

Bogaerts is reportedly expected to opt out of his current contract – a six-year, $120 million deal that runs through 2025 and includes a 2026 vesting option – at the end of the season. Extension talks were put on hold right before Opening Day after the Red Sox reportedly gave an underwhelming offer that Bogaerts declined to accept.

Asked about the deal the Red Sox offered, Bogaerts said, “it didn’t work out and we’ll see where it goes from there,” according to NBC Sports Boston’s Justin Leger.

According to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, word got out that the extension was offering Bogaerts another year on top of the three he has left on his current deal for about $30 million, bringing his potential total to about $90 million.

"“A friend of Bogaerts referred to Boston’s bid as a ‘slap in the face,'” Heyman adds."

If the season keeps going south for the Red Sox, the team might look to trade the three-time All Star.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand polled two dozen front-office executives on a number of topics ranging from biggest surprise to biggest disappointment. The topic on the biggest name they think will be moved prior to the Trade Deadline is making Red Sox Nation nervous because Bogaerts was one of the most popular picks.

The NL Central second place St. Louis Cardinals have been the favorite in recent trade talks revolving around Bogaerts. They have the farm system to compete and are in dire need of a shortstop.

If a trade were to happen between the two teams, MLB Insider Jim Bowden presents a scenario where the Cardinals acquire Bogaerts for their No. 2 prospect, 2B/3B Nolan Gorman, contingent on Bogaerts signing a long term contract in the range of eight years.

Taking a deeper dive into this potential trade, Gorman has produced at the Triple-A level of the Cardinals organization so far this season. His line sits at .287/.350/.648 with 12 homers, 3 doubles, 18 RBIs, 23 runs, and 31 hits in 28 games. If this trade were to happen, the Red Sox could place Gorman at second base and replace Bogaerts at shortstop with offseason addition Trevor Story, who played 733 games there with the Colorado Rockies.

For good reason, these whispers are gaining steam. The Red Sox sit in last place in the AL East at 11-20, have a combined batting average of .229 (20th in MLB), and lead the league in blown saves with 8.

This is a team with many holes to fill at the moment, and the Cardinals could package up some more players to make it more enticing for Chaim Bloom to pull the trigger on a deal.

Personally, I believe these trade talks are a little premature. The baseball season currently sits in the beginning part of May so there is still time for this Boston team to turn it around before it gets too late.

The Red Sox front office still has the opportunity to offer their four-time silver slugger a more appealing offer, officially name him Captain, and get him to sign in Boston for the rest of his career. Red Sox Nation is certainly hoping to see their homegrown talent officially ink a deal to stay in Beantown until he makes the decision to hang up his cleats. Time will tell.