MLB Rumors: Red Sox No Longer Favourite To Sign Bogaerts

 

Things are now getting dicey for the Boston Red Sox in their hopes of retaining shortstop Xander Bogaerts. According to a rumor from BoSox' Spanish-language beat reporter Marino Pepén, the Philadelphia Phillies have usurped the Red Sox as the team most likely to sign Bogaerts at this point.

Buenos días, mi Gente!!!
Feliz Día #NoViolenciaContraLaMujer!!!

Xander Bogaerts amanece con tres equipos confirmados, detrás de sus servicios…

HOY:
El orden de interés y posible contrato es:

1. #Phillies
2. #RedSox
3. #Padres

Seguimos, Positivo y OK.

— Marino Pepén (@Marino_Pepen) November 25, 2022

Pepén lists the Phillies No. 1 in the threesome of top suitors for the 4-time All-Star, followed by Boston, and then the San Diego Padres at No. 3.

Although Bogaerts and the Red Sox have talked about their mutual interest to have him re-sign in Beantown, it appears that the aggressiveness of Phillies' president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski may have moved them into the lead. 

Dombrowski and Bogaerts are very familiar with each other in Boston, having won a World Series together in 2018 when the 66-year-old executive held the same title with the BoSox. 

The Phillies are going to be one of the more aggressive teams this offseason, as their trip to the World Series this year has emboldened the organization to make a big push for that one last step to a championship. 

The Padres are a more recently revealed entrant into the Bogaerts sweepstakes, and a bit surprising considering they already have one of the game's great shortstops in Fernando Tatis Jr. 

 Photo: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports