Shortstop Xander Bogaerts Bags $280MM For 11 Years With San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres have come to an agreement with Xander Bogaerts, one of the best shortstops on the free agency market, on an 11-year $280MM deal. He had spent his previous 10 years with the Boston Red Sox.

There’s so much about the way the Red Sox handled Xander Bogaerts’s situation that doesn’t make sense. For example: they spent more money to sign Yoshida (($105m), a corner OF about the same age as Bogaerts, than they offered Bogaerts, an All-Star SS, in the spring. ($90m).
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 8, 2022

The deal will run through Bogaerts’ age 40-season. The Padres are no stranger to signing big contracts as they inked Manny Machado to a 10-year $300MM deal in 2019 and will likely extend Juan Soto for a deal north of $300MM before his free agency. They’ve also given Fernando Tatis Jr. a 14-year $340 million dollar extension. The Padres payroll is now above $250 million.

Since 2018 the Padres have spent big BIG dollars...

2018- Hosmer 8yr/$144M
2019- Machado 10yr/$300M
2021- Tatis Jr. 14yr/$340M
2022- Musgrove 5yr/$100M
2022- Suarez 5yr/$46M
2022- Boegarts 11yr/$280M

Owner Peter Seidler wants World Series, he's putting his $$ where his mouth is
— Rich Ohrnberger (@ohrnberger) December 8, 2022

With Bogaerts now on board in San Diego, they will have an interesting decision to make. The face of their franchise Fernando Tatis Jr. has played shortstop his entire career. Now he or Boagerts will likely move to the outfield as the Padres have all-stars at both second and third base. Bogaerts has graded out as an inferior defensive shortstop.

Here's how the Padres look right now pic.twitter.com/cHrK6upUs3
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 8, 2022

The Padres are clearly going all-in. Their aggressiveness in dealing for Soto last trade deadline along with this singing of Bogaerts is a signal that the franchise wants to win now. They nearly came close last season before falling to the Phillies in the NLCS. Is Bogaerts the guy to push them over the top?