Red Sox GM Sets Out "Priority No. 1 This Offseason"

Boston Red Sox general manager Chaim Bloom has made it clear what his top priority is this offseason. Without a doubt, it's re-signing his 4-time All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts. 

Bloom says the process to retain Xander Bogaerts has started. “We want to build around him.”

— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) October 6, 2022

The 30-year-old Bogaerts can opt-out of his contract and become a free agent as soon as the World Series is over. But that's about a month from now. In the meantime, Bloom knows he has a window to extend his shortstop before he can hit the market. 

“This is something we can work on right away," Bloom said. “Nothing I say really matters unless there’s a deal, but our position’s the same. We want to keep him here for a long time, we want him here on a deal that we’re going to look back on and say this is great for everybody.

“I don’t ever want to make public any of the blow-by-blow. But what I can say is this: That process is going to start right away from our end,” Bloom said. “Obviously we know we haven’t found that path yet. We still want to, and we’re going to work really hard at it.”

Considering that the two sides were said to be about $100M apart the last time they tried to get something done before the season, yes, they have a lot of hard work ahead.

The good news is that Bogaerts is certainly onside, hoping that Wednesday wasn't his final game in a Red Sox uniform. “I mean, you would hope not,” Bogaerts said. “This is all I know.” He's been in Boston for his entire 10-year major league career. 

The time for talk now must move from the media to the negotiating table. They have one month to work out a deal.

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