Scott Boras Addresses Latest Rumor About Xander Bogaerts

The rumor hit hard in Beantown early on Wednesday, from a longtime Boston Red Sox insider: free agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts had "severed ties" with the BoSox. It came with a caveat that perhaps this was something put out there by Bogaerts' camp to open up the bidding from other clubs. 

Now Bogaerts' agent Scott Boras has addressed the rumor, in no uncertain terms. 

Scott Boras has shutdown any notion of the Xander Bogaerts cutting ties with the Red Sox:

“Xander is open to any and all voices in the free agent market,” Boras said by phone. “We have not closed any doors on anyone.”

Exhale for now.pic.twitter.com/xYDIT8a9iq

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) November 30, 2022

 “Xander is open to any and all voices in the free agent market,” Boras said by phone. “We have not closed any doors on anyone.” 

That sound you heard was Red Sox fans everywhere letting out a huge sigh of relief. But of course that may be short-lived, as there are some very serious suitors in the market to try to swipe the 10-year Boston veteran shortstop. 

The wording is key with the @pgammo report. Other teams are claiming Bogaerts has cut ties. Could it be true? Sure. Could Boras be feeding them this information to raise his price? Absolutely. Is Peter Gammons on the Mt Rushmore of baseball reporters? You better believe it. pic.twitter.com/zDg3o5ktbO

— Ed Hand (@EdHand89) November 30, 2022

It's all quite possible that word was leaked to rival teams from the Boras camp in order to bump up the competing offers. It's certainly not out of the realm of negotiating shenanigans that Boras and other agents try to pull off. And now that the word has leaked out, Boras has had to release a statement. And we know that Peter Gammons, who has been covering the Red Sox since 1969 — yes, you read that right — has had decades to cement trust in his reporting. 

Just a few days ago we got word that the Red Sox were no longer the favorites to sign their 4-time All-Star, and that another team had leaped into the spot of odds-on favorite. But that has come into question today with a new report of the most likely destination for fellow All-Star shortstop Trea Turner. 

With so much of this up in the air, there will no doubt be some frantic action coming next week, as the Winter Meetings begin in earnest on Sunday. 

Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports