The San Diego Padres have shocked the baseball world yet again with a player acquisition.
San Diego has agreed to terms with former Boston Red Sox star shortstop Xander Bogaerts on an 11-year contract for $280 million. The news was reported late on Wednesday night by MLB insiders such as Jon Heyman of MLB Network and Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Bogaerts to Padres. $280M 11 years
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 8, 2022
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on an 11-year, $280 million contract, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN. A monster contract and the Padres, after missing Trea Turner and Aaron Judge, get the longtime Red Sox shortstop.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 8, 2022
This one is an absolute stunner.
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Buster Olney was hearing from agents that Bogaerts likely “will get something in the range of $180m-$200m when he signs, given the enormous spike in the market.”
Some agents guesstimate Xander Bogaerts will get something in the range of $180m-$200m when he signs, given the enormous spike in the market.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 6, 2022
Try $100 million more than the low end of that guess.
The contract also features a full no-trade clause, not that any other organization was going to be lining up to take that contract off the Padres’ hands anytime soon.
Xander Bogaerts also gets a complete no-trade clause in his deal with the #Padres
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 8, 2022
Just hours earlier, the Red Sox were rumored to be getting close on a deal with Bogaerts.
Momentum between the Red Sox and Xander Bogaerts according to a source.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) December 7, 2022
Momentum between the Red Sox and Xander Bogaerts according to a source.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) December 7, 2022
But the Padres swooped in with a late-night deal. The Boston offer was reportedly not close to San Diego’s.
Bogaerts, a source said, wanted to give the Sox a last chance to improve their offer. But there was what was described as a “huge gap” between the teams and Bogaerts felt he had no choice but to choose the Padres.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) December 8, 2022
According to a major league source, the Red Sox were “really far” from the Padres offer – and their offers were short of $200M. Just a huge gap in where the Padres went.
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) December 8, 2022
Almost all contract projections had Bogaerts getting a contract no longer than eight years. The baseball world can’t believe the deal.
Texts coming in from people in baseball with sheer shock about Bogaerts deal. Less the destination and more the figure. Just a shocking number at $280M.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) December 8, 2022
Bogaerts, 30, is a four-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion. He’s spent his entire career with the Red Sox.
In 2022, Bogaerts had a .307/.377/.456 slash line with 15 home runs. He was valued at 6.1 wins above replacement (WAR) per FanGraphs. While his batted ball data had some red flags that has had some evaluators fearing a sign of decline, his usual numbers were there. He also had his best defensive season by the metrics.
My notes on Bogaerts: https://t.co/8otoacBjXK
— Matt Clapp (@TheBlogfines) December 8, 2022
A.J. Preller and the all-in Padres have signed three players — Bogaerts, Fernando Tatís Jr., and Manny Machado — to contracts worth at least $275 million. They also made a blockbuster trade to acquire outfielder Juan Soto in August, and he could be in line for a $500 million contract eventually (his contract expires after the 2024 season).
The Padres have now handed out three contracts of at least $275 million, matching the Yankees for the most all-time. Each team handed one out today. https://t.co/o8zXY2YW9d
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 8, 2022
San Diego viewed Bogaerts as “perhaps the best hitter among this free-agent class’ top shortstops,” according to Padres beat writer Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Lin notes how the Padres “outbid the competition for Bogaerts by a wide margin” after missing out on shortstop Trea Turner and Aaron Judge.
The Padres viewed Xander Bogaerts as perhaps the best hitter among this free-agent class' top shortstops. After missing out on Trea Turner and Aaron Judge, they apparently outbid the competition for Bogaerts by a wide margin.
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) December 8, 2022
Turner signed an 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, while Judge signed a nine-year, $360 million deal to return to the New York Yankees on Wednesday.
The Padres went above and beyond to make sure they wouldn’t miss out on their next target.
