Bogaerts, On Staying In Boston: There's No Doubt "It'll Be Easier To Get Two More Rings Here Than Any Other Place"

Xander Bogaerts's instructions to his agent were simple and direct: "Get me the best deal we can get to stay here."

It did not take long before the 26-year-old shortstop and the Red Sox agreed on a six-year, $120 million contract extension to keep Bogaerts in a Boston uniform until 2025 (though there is an opt-out clause after 2022):

This is what I know. This is what I enjoy. I enjoy being here. I love the organization. A lot of young kids on the team, I want to be there to help and see them grow up — just like me. It's a tough process when you're young and I understand that. So I'm just trying to be one of the guys they can lean on. I don't think it was that hard. ... I knew what I wanted. ...

I did think I left some on the table, but that really doesn't matter. ... I've been here. I've won two rings. I don't think there was any doubt that it'll be easier to get two more rings here than any other place. What we have built here, the future and all the guys that are on our team. I think there is a great, great chance of winning multiple [championships] ...

Bogaerts has been a mentor to Rafael Devers, his 22-year-old teammate on the left side of the infield. Manager Alex Cora noted that it was Bogaerts's calm encouragement that helped Devers before the third baseman notched the first walk-off hit of his career, on April 11. Cora said that Devers had a frustrating at-bat in the seventh inning. "He's so hard on himself that sometimes it just carries to the next at-bat or carries to the field. I saw Xander say, 'Just relax. You got one left, you got one left.'"

Bogaerts:

I think, especially after signing, I just kind of felt a greater responsibility in guiding the younger guys that are coming up. They're pretty much like me when I came up. I was young. ... I know it's hard, and the expectations are so high, but the more pressure they add on themselves is not going to do them right.