11:40pm: The deal contains a full no-trade provision; it does not contain any opt-clauses, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (on Twitter).
11:21pm: The Padres are in agreement with Xander Bogaerts on an 11-year, $280MM deal, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (Twitter link). It’s a stunning development, with the four-time All-Star leaving the only organization he’s ever known to join the Padres on a staggering commitment.
Bogaerts had spent his whole career in Boston, originally joining the organization as an amateur signee from Aruba back in 2009. He quickly developed into one of the sport’s top prospects and was in the majors by August 2013, a few months before his 21st birthday. Bogaerts claimed two Silver Slugger awards within his first four MLB seasons, but his .283/.339/.409 career slash line through 2017 was roughly league average overall. He took a major step forward in 2018, however, reaching another level by his age-25 campaign.
He hit .288/.360/.522 with 23 home runs over 136 games that season, helping lead Boston to 108 wins and a World Series title. Bogaerts sustained that new level of excellence, as he’s been a well above-average offensive performer in each of the four years since then. Going back to the start of the 2018 campaign, the righty-hitting infielder owns a .300/.373/.507 line that checks in 34 percentage points above league average by measure of wRC+.
On the heels of that breakout season, the Red Sox inked Bogaerts to a long-term deal in April 2019. Boston guaranteed him $120MM between 2020-25, allowing him to opt out with half that money remaining after 2022. Bogaerts played well enough to earn some MVP votes in each of the four seasons since signing that extension, making it a no-brainer he’d take his opt-out opportunity unless he and the Red Sox could preemptively agree upon a new deal.
More to come.