On Wednesday, Alex Cora pulled Xander Bogaerts from the final game of the 2022 season early, allowing Red Sox fans to give the star shortstop a standing ovation — a curtain call for a player who is on the verge of opting out of the final year of his deal.
After the game, Bogaerts acknowledged the moment with some bemusement.
“It felt good. It just felt a little weird because I’m still here,” Bogaerts told reporters. “But I know. I get it — this situation I’m in. But I’m still here and I get everything that’s around my contract and stuff like that.