Fansided

3 teams that could steal Xander Bogaerts from the Red Sox

By David Salituro

BOSTON, MA - MAY 18: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Houston Astros on May 18, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 18: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Houston Astros on May 18, 2022 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – MAY 03: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels bats while Shohei Ohtani #17 warms up on deck in the third inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 3, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MAY 03: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels bats while Shohei Ohtani #17 warms up on deck in the third inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 3, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

2. Los Angeles Angels

If Bogaerts doesn’t sign with the Dodgers, then he could make the 30-mile drive down I-5 to Anaheim and join the Angels.

The Angels have been looking for a piece to complement their two superstars, Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, and end the club’s eight-year playoff drought. Anthony Rendon was supposed to be it. Taylor Ward might be it in the future. But Bogaerts would certainly be what they’ve been seeking for years.

When the Angels signed Rendon to a seven-year, $245 million deal before the 2020 season, he was coming off a World Series title with the Nationals and a year in which he nearly won NL MVP. He hasn’t been a complete bust with the Angels, but neither has he lived up to those lofty expectations. He’s batting .258 with 20 home runs in three seasons in Los Angeles; in his previous three years with Washington, he was a .310 hitter. He had 34 homers just in 2019. His OPS has declined by more than 150 points since joining the Angels.

The long-term commitment to Rendon showed that the Angels are capable and willing to hand out massive contracts, which is what it would take to attract Bogaerts. He would be a massive upgrade for a team that’s turned into a contender in 2022. The Angels’ current shortstop is Andrew Velazquez, a five-year journeyman who’s already played for five different teams. Velasquez is batting just .198 this season. The position is a sore spot in a lineup filled with stars. Bogaerts would look pretty good in Angels’ red and white right now.

Bogaerts wouldn’t be expected to carry the team; they have Trout and Ohtani, arguably the two global faces of the game, for that. The presence of those two superstars hasn’t been enough to carry the Angels into the postseason. Bogaerts would be just what they need.

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