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Grading the Red Sox Xander Bogaerts backup plans

By Drew Koch

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 30: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the Minnesota Twins on August 30, 2022 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 30: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the Minnesota Twins on August 30, 2022 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /
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Boston Red Sox, Adalberto Mondesi
ST LOUIS, MO – APRIL 11: Boston Red Sox, Xander Bogaerts, Adalberto Mondesi #27 of the Kansas City Royals fields a ground ball hit by the St. Louis Cardinals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium on April 11, 2022 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) /

The Boston Red Sox will be looking to fill a major void in the middle of their lineup with the absence of Xander Bogaerts who is now with the San Diego Padres.

Xander Bogaerts signed a massive $280M contract during the offseason with the San Diego Padres. That’s a void in the middle of the Boston Red Sox lineup that cannot be easily replaced, but Chaim Bloom will certainly try.

Things have not gotten off to good start, however, as Trevor Story will miss a good chunk of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery to repair his injured elbow. If you’re the Red Sox, Story (who hopes to return this season) cannot really be counted upon.

If Story is able to return to the Boston lineup at some point this season, the 30-year-old has not dismissed the idea of returning to shortstop. But, in the meantime, Bloom is going to have to find a way to not only replace Bogaerts at shortstop, but also his production in the Red Sox lineup. Let’s put a grade on the Red Sox backup plans with Xander Bogaerts now out on the West Coast.

Grading the Red Sox backup plan for Xander Bogaerts: Adalberto Mondesi

At one time, Adalberto Mondesi was one of the top-rated prospects in all of baseball. Formerly of the Kansas City Royals organization, Mondesi was traded to the Boston Red Sox in January.

Mondesi became a regular contributor for KC in 2018 despite making his big league debut during the 2015 World Series. Mondesi posted nice numbers during his first extended look as the Royals shortstop.

Mondesi then led the league in triples during the 2019 season, but posted a modest OPS of just .715. During the abbreviated 2020 season, Mondesi led the league in stolen bases (24) but was also thrown out eight times and against put up a relatively unimpressive .723 OPS.

Adalberto Mondesi has been injury-prone and suffered a torn ACL last season causing him to miss all but 15 games. It remains to be seen if the 27-year-old will begin the season on the injured list or not.

If he can actually take the field on Opening Day (which is a big if), Mondesi possesses very good speed and solid glove, but his bat is below average and he struggles to stay on the field. This backup plan may not really move the needle.

Grade: D+

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