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Xander Bogaerts played his way into an 11-year, $280 million deal with the San Diego Padres last season. At the same time, he played himself out of a return to the Boston Red Sox.
Bogaerts' price wasn't something the Red Sox were interested in matching. Hall of Famer and Red Sox legend David Ortiz believes that was a glaring oversight.
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Ortiz knows that his former team wanted to sign Rafael Devers, which they did. He still believes both players should still be in Boston, according to USA Today:
“Those guys are the heart and soul of the franchise. They are good players. They are franchise boys. You know what they’re capable of. You know what they bring to the table. What else do you need?’’
He likened the loss of Bogaerts to another fan favorite leaving a few years ago:
“It’s going to be like the pain of not having a guy like Mookie [Betts] stay with the team. Bogaerts is the best player you can ever have on your team.... His dedication and passion is on another level. Very respectful. You never heard anything negative from him."
He added:
"He’s a kid that never gets in trouble. He is the perfect guy you want on your ballclub. I’m not saying he’s the perfect human being, but the perfect guy on your ballclub. What else do you want?"
Ultimately, the Sox chose Devers over Bogaerts. The front office has chosen to be very frugal even after winning the World Series in 2018.
Who got paid more: Rafael Devers or Xander Bogaerts?
It definitely would have been difficult for the Boston Red Sox to retain Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, but it wasn't impossible.
Devers recently signed a massive extension, totaling $331 million over 11 years. That's about $30.9 million per year.
On the other hand, Bogaerts also received an 11-year deal totaling $280 million. That earns him about $25 million a year. Both Red Sox superstar infielders got paid, but Devers certainly got a bigger contract.
He also has the benefit of potentially playing in Boston for the entirety of his career.
