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Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts setting lofty goals for 2022 season
Bogaerts spoke about the upcoming season as well as his future with the Red Sox.
A lot of questions lie ahead for star Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who very well could be playing his final season for Boston with an opt-out in his contract coming up at the end of the 2022 season.
But for right now, the two-time World Series champion is keeping his mind on the present.
In an interview with The Boston Globe‘s Stan Grossfeld, Bogaerts talked about the upcoming Red Sox season and even laid out a few goals for himself for 2022. Chief among them: breaking into the 20 home run/20 steal club.
Though Bogaerts has topped the 20-homer threshold four times, including last season, the most bases he’s ever stolen in one year is 13. Still, he thinks there’s room to grow his game at age 29.
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“I don’t take big leads, but I am fast enough to steal,” he says. “It’s just that I don’t attempt it as much.”
If it helps the Red Sox win — whether it means stealing bases, diving into first base or recruiting Trevor Story, his potential replacement at shortstop, to the team — Bogaerts has proven he will do it.
He also talked about his desire to win a Gold Glove, saying he “wanted to cry” when he didn’t win the award the one time he was nominated in 2015. Though he’s won four Silver Slugger awards as recognition for being the best hitter at his position, he wants to be recognized for his defense as well.
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“I might trade two Silver Sluggers for a Gold Glove,” he said.
In the meantime, Bogaerts will aim to improve on a 2021 season in which he hit .295 with 23 home runs and 79 RBI for a surprise World Series contender. After that, the future is less clear.
But the Aruba native reiterated his desire to stay in Boston if he can — “I like it here. It’s fun. It’s a great city and a great organization,” he said — and hopes to make progress on a new deal before Opening Day. If that doesn’t work out, he said he’ll put contract matters to rest until the end of the season.
“It wouldn’t be fair to my teammates,” he says. “I was a lucky man. I was blessed to have really good teammates, and I’m not lying.”
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