The gap between what Xander Bogaerts expected and what the Red Sox offered during contract negotiations was so big that Bogaerts opted out of the remaining years of his deal and entered free agency knowing he’d probably end up disappointed by Boston’s offer.
At the time, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom was saying that keeping Bogaerts was a “top priority.” Bogaerts said he wasn’t surprised to hear Bloom say that, but the actions didn’t match up with the words.
“Saying it and showing it, I think it’s two different stuff, and obviously they have a little different way of showing it,” Bogaerts said during an appearance on Rob Bradford’s “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast.