A man who is just 30 years old and has won five Silver Slugger awards deserves to be making much more than $20 million per year.
The market says it, not us.
Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts took home his fifth Silver Slugger award on Thursday night.
The recognition happens to come when he is a free agent and about to cash in on his decision to opt out of a $20 million salary by the Red Sox.
He is in the perfect moment of his career to look for a long-term deal: he is still young yet has enough experience to say he is in his prime.
He has won several individual awards, and gave Boston the ultimate happiness when he won, together with his teammates, the 2018 World Series.
Congrats to Xander on winning his 5th Silver Slugger Award! pic.twitter.com/jQEXWdTfba
— Red Sox (@RedSox) November 10, 2022
Bogaerts Deserves More Than $20 Million Per Season
His decision to opt out was logical and expected: similar players like Corey Seager and Carlos Correa made more than $30 million in 2022, and worse players like Trevor Story made more than $23 million.
Even Javier Baez got a contract that will pay him $23 million per year, so Bogaerts has every right to find the best deal for him.
The numbers say he is a good defender, and his offensive talent is evident: in 2022, he slashed .307/.377/.456 with 15 home runs and 6.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
Few players have his blend of contact, power, leadership, and experience from a premium position, and having been a part of a World Series-winning roster.
It’s Bogaerts’ time to cash in and look for a huge contract.
The Red Sox are already in contact with his agents, but the whole league should be interested in a star of his magnitude.
