How Little League players motivated Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts

Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts had an eventful trip to play in the Little League Classic

The Boston Red Sox had the opportunity to participate in this year’s Major League Baseball Little League Classic, an event that’s been held annually since 2017 in Williamsport, PA. While the game ended on a sour note when the bullpen crumbled late against the Baltimore Orioles, the experience was a positive one for players who got the chance to perform in front of Little League players who look up to them.

Xander Bogaerts was feeling a bit nostalgic about his Little League days when he dreamed of playing in the big leagues. While he was more than willing to offer advice that will stick with those kids throughout their own baseball journeys, his interaction with Little League players made an impact on Bogaerts as well, according to The Boston Globe (subscription required).

"“I was going through a rough, rough period, but a lot of kids was coming up to me and being like, ‘You’re my favorite player’. I was like, man, I know I’m playing bad, but hearing something like that from the kids, it makes you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished so far and you’ve just got to continue doing it so you don’t disappoint them. It was very meaningful. It was great.”"

Bogaerts has been scuffling through a second-half slump. He’s hitting .245 with a .706 OPS since the All-Star break and only .209 with a .583 OPS in August.

The slump has dragged his batting average for the season down to .299, dipping below the .300 mark for the first time since April 17. He’s still tied for seventh in the American League in that category and but any aspirations of a potential batting title seem to be out the window at this point.

Bogaerts owns a .810 OPS for the season that ranks second among qualified major league shortstops but it would still be his lowest production in that category since 2017.

Despite his current slump, Bogaerts has been getting on base at a strong clip this season but his power has evaporated. His .441 SLG and .142 ISO would both be his lowest since 2017. That season, when Bogaerts hit .273/.343/.403 with 10 home runs in 148 games, is the only season since he was a rookie in which Bogaerts failed to earn an All-Star appearance, Silver Slugger award, or votes on the MVP ballot. He’s earned at least two of those three honors on multiple occasions. Clearly, 2017 isn’t the season he wants this year to be compared to, but that’s where he’s heading if he doesn’t pull out of this slump soon.

Perhaps his interactions with the Little League players was the spark Bogaerts needed to get back on track Sunday night. He blasted a ninth-inning solo home run to pull the Sox to within two. The rally ultimately fell short but the signs of life from Bogaerts were encouraging. His tenth homer of the season was his first since August 3 and only his third since the break.

The admiration he received from the kids could be a motivating factor that pulls Bogaerts out of his second-half slide. The Red Sox took the loss in the Little League Classic but they can consider the trip to Williamsport a win if it leads to their star shortstop finishing the season strong.