Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers' days together on the left side of the Boston Red Sox infield may be numbered.
Both Red Sox stars enter the 2022 campaign with unresolved contract situations. Bogaerts is set to opt out of his deal after the season while Devers is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023 season.
Tomase: Are Devers and Red Sox heading to a Betts conclusion?
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The organization offered contract extensions to both players during spring training but failed to reach any agreements. Neither Bogaerts nor Devers wants to discuss an extension during the season, per reports.
Boston's top priority is to sign Devers when contract talks resume, according to ESPN's Joon Lee. The club remains open to keeping Bogaerts, but is placing a "higher urgency" on their slugging third baseman.
More from Lee:
According to Red Sox front-office sources, the team's top priority is re-signing Rafael Devers to a contract, placing a higher urgency on keeping the 25-year-old third baseman's generational offensive talent ahead of retaining Bogaerts, who will turn 30 in October.
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When asked about Bogaerts' future in Boston, one front-office official said the team remained open to bringing back the current leader of the Red Sox clubhouse but also stated that if Bogaerts has a strong 2022 season that drives up his price on the open market even further, it would lower the chances of the Red Sox signing him.
"We are not in the business of signing 10-year deals for a lot of money, because those contracts mostly do not work out well for teams," said the front-office member.
Lee adds that Bogaerts requested a contract in the range of the highest-paid shortstops in the league: Carlos Correa ($35.1 million with Minnesota Twins), Francisco Lindor ($34.1 with New York Mets), and Corey Seager ($33 million with Texas Rangers). The Red Sox, of course, declined to meet that lofty figure.
If Bogaerts indeed departs Boston after the 2022 season, Trevor Story presumably would replace him at shortstop. Story will play second base this year after inking a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox this offseason.