Xander Bogaerts has been musing on the contrasting experiences he’s had with the San Diego Padres and the Boston Red Sox.
Bogaerts fondly recalled his time at Fenway Park. “Oh, (expletive),” he said, smiling as he remembered the Green Monster. He acknowledged the benefit the left field wall offered him, suggesting he would have had “a couple more doubles” thanks to it.
Bogaerts on Fenway’s Green Monster
Bogaerts contrasted Fenway Park with his current home, noting how fly balls behave differently. “It just dies here,” Bogaerts said, referring to the heavy air on the San Diego Bay.
He recalled a moment when Nick Castellanos hit a fly ball at Petco Park. The ball reached 68 feet high and landed approximately 364 feet from home plate. Bogaerts remarked that the same hit “would have been on Lansdowne”, referencing the street beyond the Green Monster.
Return to Fenway
Bogaerts returned to Fenway Park with his new team. It marked his second visit to Fenway Park with his new team to play the Red Sox.
He was previously on the injured list with a fractured shoulder when the Padres visited Fenway Park. Before a game, a video tribute played on the video board, and Bogaerts received a standing ovation.
“That was pretty sweet,” Bogaerts said about the tribute. “It was a nice time to soak it all in, because I wasn’t playing. I was hurt, and you wouldn’t want to get too distracted while playing.”
Devers Remembers Bogaerts’ Impact
Rafael Devers, formerly Bogaerts’ teammate, recalled the tribute in 2024. “I see that, and I feel like he needed that,” Devers said.
Devers felt it was important for Bogaerts to remember his time with the Red Sox. “Xander Bogaerts was very historic for that organization,” Devers stated.
Bogaerts holds the record for most games played at shortstop for the Red Sox, with 1,094 appearances from 2013 through ‘22.
- Debuted on Aug. 20, 2013 at 20 years old
- Hit .296 in the postseason
- Started all six games of the World Series
He was part of two of Boston’s four World Series titles this century.
Bogaerts signed an 11-year, $280 million contract with the Padres.