This Xander Bogaerts destination would be absolute worst-case scenario for Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts, together again.
No, Betts is not returning to the Boston Red Sox, and if MLB insider Jon Heyman is correct, neither is Bogaerts.
Instead, Heyman thinks that the Los Angeles Dodgers “make perfect sense” for the decorated shortstop:
"“The Dodgers would make perfect sense, as might the Cubs, who seem very interested in adding a big piece and have the flexibility to move young star Nico Hoerner to second base, which becomes a more important position with the new shift ban.”"
Dear lord, please no. For the love of Johnny Pesky, don’t let this happen.
MLB insider thinks Dodgers “make perfect sense” for Xander Bogaerts
For the Sox, the Dodgers are the absolute worst-case scenario, an outcome that must be prevented at all costs, literally.
The Sox already pushed fans to the breaking point when they traded Betts after the 2019 season, claiming that a depleted farm system and bloated budget prevented them from retaining one of the best stars of this generation. In the years since, they’ve claimed that trading Betts was unavoidable (it wasn’t) and that all decisions since that debacle have been made so that the franchise is never in that position again.
This is when they must prove it.
If the Sox let Bogaerts get away to the same team to who they handed Betts on a silver platter, the ‘Fenway Faithful’ may very well revolt. And who can blame them? Every excuse the Sox made when they sent Betts to the west coast is long gone; they have a fruitful farm now and plenty of financial flexibility. Furthermore, unlike Betts, who was adamant about testing free agency for over a year before the trade, Bogaerts never wanted to opt out. For years, he’s made it abundantly clear that he only wants to play in Boston for his entire career. But the Sox pushed him to the breaking point, too, making him insulting lowball offers and signing Trevor Story as a replacement last year when Bogaerts still had several years remaining on his deal. Who can blame him, either?
Losing Bogaerts, which could also mean losing Rafael Devers, would be the point of no return for this organization. Pray they realize that before it’s too late.
