The Phillies will be suitors for Xander Bogaerts and Trea Turner this offseason.
Way back when, shortstop Xander Bogaerts was an often-mentioned prospect who then-Philadelphia Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. could potentially acquire in a trade centered around 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels.
A deal with the American League East juggernaut never came to fruition, and the left-hander was eventually dealt to the Texas Rangers.
More than seven years later, Bogaerts could wind up donning red pinstripes after all. According to the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham, the Phillies will be “eager suitors” for the four-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, and two-time World Series champion — if the Red Sox let him reach free agency.
Set to turn 30 in October, Bogaerts enters Sunday with a career .293/.357/.460 slash line with 307 doubles, 154 home runs, and 675 RBI across 10 seasons. So far this season, the Aruba native leads the American League with a .318 batting average.
One of the best memories of the 2013 World Series was watching just-turned-21 Xander Bogaerts make things happen. pic.twitter.com/TPHunpswGc
— Red (@SurvivingGrady) March 31, 2020
Bogaerts’ best season on offense came in 2019, when in 155 games, he hit 52 doubles, 33 home runs and 117 RBI, before finishing fifth in the MVP race.
If Bogaerts enters free agency and former Red Sox executive Dave Dombrowski reunites with him in Philadelphia, he would essentially replace Jean Segura in the Phillies infield.
The Phillies could choose to bring back Segura next season on a $17 million team option, or buy his contract out for $1 million. While Segura has been an important piece on the big-league roster since he was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in December 2018, acquiring Bogaerts would be a no-brainer for a franchise seeking to take the next step.
Dombrowski and Bogaerts could reunite this offseason, but so could Bryce Harper and his former Washington Nationals teammate, Trea Turner. The offseason rumors will surely be interesting. For now, the Phillies remain in strong contention for their first postseason berth since 2011.