MLB Rumors: Bogaerts Has Another Serious Suitor In National League

While the Boston Red Sox stumble along in their negotiations with shortstop Xander Bogaerts (said to still be far apart), teams with deep pockets keep cropping up as "serious" suitors for the free agent shortstop. The latest, according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, are the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Phillies are believed to have real interest in Xander Bogaerts, Phils honcho Dave Dombrowski has strong link to Bogaerts from his Boston days.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 13, 2022

Heyman tweets that the Phils "are believed to have real interest in Xander Bogaerts," then notes that Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has a strong link to Bogaerts from his Boston days. Dombrowski held the same position in Boston from 2015 to 2019, and watched as Bogaerts was a key cog in helping his team win the 2018 World Series. He knows full well the value that Bogaerts can bring. 

What makes this rumor even more interesting is that the Phillies are also said to be "the preferred destination" for another free agent star shortstop, Trea Turner. 

Bogaerts is likely in line for a deal, according to experts, of anywhere from $190M into the low $200M range. Turner, on the other hand, will likely fetch something closer to $300M, perhaps $275M or above. Dombrowski has said he'll have the resources to spend this offseason to get what the Phillies need to push them that one last step to a World Series title. It could just be a matter of which multi-hundreds-of-million-dollar shortstop he'd prefer. 

Decisions, decisions. 

Photo: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports