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Xander Bogaerts’ frustration at Correa rumors give Yankees fans hope

ByAdam Weinrib|
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 05: Rafael Devers #11 and Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox look on against the New York Yankees after the fourth inning of the American League Wild Card game at Fenway Park on October 05, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 05: Rafael Devers #11 and Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox look on against the New York Yankees after the fourth inning of the American League Wild Card game at Fenway Park on October 05, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Is there any chance at all of Xander Bogaerts leaving the Boston Red Sox in the lurch after 2021 by opting his way out of the New York Yankees‘ path in the AL East?

Before Tuesday morning, we would’ve told you it was all going to work out. Bogaerts is vaccinated now, and can play road games in Toronto. He cares about the greater good. He’s focused on the here and now.

Oh, but also, he was clearly infuriated by all the sloppy Carlos Correa-Sox rumors that circulated this spring, preemptively forcing him off his long-time position at shortstop.

Boston’s de facto captain seemed … a little frustrated at what the fan base concocted for him this offseason! We’ll leave it at that!

While technically locked in Boston through 2025 with a 2026 vesting option, Bogaerts has an escape hatch after 2022 and can forego the final three years and $60 million guaranteed on his deal.

Scott Boras would probably like that to happen, and Bogaerts laid some breadcrumbs for his exit on Tuesday.

Xander Bogaerts angry at Carlos Correa rumors, Yankees fans pumped

“Do I even exist?” What a brutal rebuke of a fanbase (MLB in general, also Boston) that occasionally forgets players have thoughts and feelings.

Before Ken Rosenthal poured cold water on the notion, fans definitely bent over backwards to connect the intense Correa with Boston, nonchalantly moving Bogaerts over and assuming he wouldn’t mind. After all, his defense at short is regressing. Surely he’d be totally fine with just throwing in the towel ahead of a contract year! Please.

Whether Bogaerts stays or goes this offseason, it’ll certainly take more than the current $60 million guarantee to keep him in place.

Add Rafael Devers to the “to do list,” too. His extension in Beantown seems like more of a sure thing, but … he’s also just … waiting.

We’ve heard about Marcelo Mayer, the already-anointed next great Red Sox shortstop who fell to an extremely lucky Boston front office in the 2021 MLB Draft.

But he’s not ready yet! And unless they make the immediate transition next offseason in an angry Bogaerts’ wake, there might be a similar shortstop controversy on the shores of that Dirty Water in 2023.

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