Xander Bogaerts has chance to break Red Sox legend’s record before season ends

Xander Bogaerts’ 300th career double puts him within striking distance of Carl Yastrzemski’s Red Sox record

On Thursday night, Xander Bogaerts hit his 300th career double.

He’s only the 11th player in Boston Red Sox history to reach 300 two-baggers, but only the second player to do so before turning 30 years old.

In 1969, Carl Yastrzemski finished the season with 312 career doubles. He’d turned 30 on August 22. Bogaerts won’t celebrate his 30th until October 1, so he has a very good chance of breaking Yaz’s record.

Bogaerts is also now the eighth player in franchise history with 150+ homers and 300+ doubles (joining Bobby Doerr, Dwight Evans, David Ortiz, Jim Rice, Jason Varitek, Ted Williams, and Yastrzemski) and only the 25th player in MLB history to reach those benchmarks before turning 30. His 655 career RBI are the fifth-most by a Sox player before turning 30, behind Williams (853), Doerr (831), Rice (828), and Yaz (745).

In other words, he’s the kind of player you pay.

Bogaerts being in the conversation with Yaz is incredible for the obvious reasons – one of the greatest players in the history of the game, a Hall of Famer, etc. – but there’s also a deeper symbolism at play here. Yaz spent his entire 23-year career in a Red Sox uniform; Bogaerts wants to do the same. Earlier this season, he played his 1,094th career game at shortstop, passing Everett Scott for the most games at shortstop in franchise history. He’s made it clear that he wants to play all his games here, but the organization is, once again, being cheap with one of their brightest, most beloved homegrown stars.

The Sox will have to answer many questions this offseason; they have several expiring contracts, a pitching staff in crisis, and morale and faith in the team are low. The path forward is murky (in part because the front office and ownership have made it so), but some things should be crystal clear, like paying the players who’ve proved they can win.

That’s been the biggest question since this ownership took over twenty years ago: is this an organization that values its forever players? Jon Lester and Mookie Betts would suggest otherwise, and the team was/is worse off without them. The bloated contracts to free-agent failures also point to the team needing to appreciate what they already have.

Bogaerts is now the Sox’ longest-tenured player, their shortstop record-holder, and is in conversation with some of the greatest hitters to ever wear the uniform. He’s a team leader, the unofficial captain, and a mentor to Rafael Devers. There is an intangible value to all of that, but even if the team didn’t care about the ‘romantic about baseball’ stuff, he’s still been one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball for years.

Coming to an agreement on a new contract with Bogaerts (and Devers) should be the top priority this offseason. If not, he will opt out and his next incredible career achievements will be celebrated by another team.