There are so many pleasant surprises dotting the 2021 Red Sox roster that it’s probably more efficient to acknowledge the players who have produced exactly as expected than it is to tip a cap to every single individual who has made helped make this season a pure, unexpected joy through 88 games and 54 victories so far.
So here’s who I have in the Just What We Expected Club: Xander Bogaerts. And he’s pretty much it.
Bogaerts leads the American League with 27 doubles this year, is slashing .323/.385/.535, and has contributed 13 homers and 100 hits.