Against all odds, the Boston Red Sox finished last in the AL East in the 2022 season.
Even the Baltimore Orioles topped Boston’s 78-84 record.
It was quite a surprising turn of events, but it doesn’t mean Boston is ticketed for last-place finishes for the foreseeable future.
To increase their chances of returning to contention, the franchise must make sure to lock up two young stars that have been crucial in the last few years.
“Xander Bogaerts was 20 when he won his first World Series. Rafael Devers was 21 when he won his first World Series. Both were home grown talent. Both want to remain in Boston. Both want to win as a member of the Red Sox. It’s really a no-brainer on what needs to be done,” Beyond the Monster tweeted.
Xander Bogaerts was 20 when he won his first World Series.
Rafael Devers was 21 when he won his first World Series.
Both were home grown talent. Both want to remain in Boston. Both want to win as a member of the Red Sox.
It’s really a no-brainer on what needs to be done. pic.twitter.com/lLLomCmQyH
— Beyond the Monster (@BeyondtheMnstr) October 28, 2022
Bogaerts signed a long-term deal somewhat recently, but it had a caveat: an opt-out clause after the end of the 2022 season.
Both Deserve A Large Payday
It’s fair to say he is likely to exercise it, as he looks for a bigger payday.
Bogaerts hit .307/.377/.456 in 2022, with 15 home runs and a 134 wRC+ (34 percent better than the league average).
He led the Red Sox with 6.1 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR.
Devers, on the other hand, is entering his last season of salary arbitration, in which he is projected to make around $17 million.
After 2023, he will enter free agency, but not if the Red Sox extend him first.
There have been talks, but the two parts are not particularly close.
He deserves a lot of money, having hit .295/.358/.521 with a 140 wRC+ and 4.9 WAR.
It’s hard to imagine Boston losing both of them in consecutive seasons, and one has to think they sign at least one.
If they want to keep competing with the AL East’s top teams, however, they need both.
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