DENVER — When it comes to keeping track of statistics, two Red Sox stars couldn’t be more different.
While slugger J.D. Martinez equates looking at his numbers to “death,” shortstop Xander Bogaerts always knows exactly when he’s approaching milestones. So Bogaerts knew full well he was a homer and an RBI away from reaching 30 home runs and 100 RBI as he approached his sixth-inning at-bat against Colorado Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez on Wednesday night.
Bogaerts homered off Estevez for his second blast of the night, making up for the fact he was robbed of an RBI when Nolan Arenado snagged a would-be run-scoring grounder in the third inning. Bogaerts became the first Red Sox shortstop since Nomar Garciaparra in 1998 to have 30 homers and 100 RBI in the same year.
“I was aware I was missing a homer and one more RBI. (Rafael) Devers was joking that if I had got the RBI with the one I hit to Arenado, then with the (first) homer I would have had 100,” Bogaerts said. “It’s OK. Maybe there’d be something different planned for me. Maybe I’d hit (another) homer. And I did, man.”
Whatever the milestone – reaching his first 100-RBI season last September, hitting his 100th career homer earlier this month or reaching the 30-100 mark Wednesday – Bogaerts always seems to enjoy it. He never shies away from chasing round numbers.
“Once you’re close, I just try to go out and get it,” Bogaerts said. “Getting to 100 RBI, I missed a couple opportunities lately. Happy I got that out of the way.”
Bogaerts took a major step forward in 2018 as a supporting actor in a lineup led by Martinez and Mookie Betts, then signed a $120 million extension shortly after Opening Day. All he has done since is have a career year in which he has hit .311 with a .964 OPS, making his second career All-Star team along the way.
“Thirty and 100, and hitting for average,” Manager Alex Cora said. “That’s kind of the icing on the cake.”
Bogaerts has consistently been one of Boston’s best players, setting career-highs in homers and doubles. He looks likely to set new highs in hits, RBI and OPS.
“If he’s not the best shortstop in the league, he’s in the conversation, and that’s what we wanted,” Cora said. “I’m very proud that he’s doing this.”
Bogaerts has never met Garciaparra but said he remembered watching him tinker with his batting gloves and dominate in video games. He’s well aware of Garciaparra’s place in Red Sox history.
“He was so awesome and such a big player for this team and throughout his career,” Bogaerts said. “Injuries kept him back a little bit, but he was an amazing player.”
Bogaerts is now carving his own place and could one day go down as the best shortstop in franchise history. If he needs to reach any milestones to secure that, he’ll be sure to enjoy them as much as he did reaching the marks he hit Wednesday.
“It’s huge,” Bogaerts said. “Honestly, coming into the season, you don’t have that on your mind. I don’t think you’re going to put any of those expectations on yourself. I just felt like once I was getting closer to it, you just go ahead and try to get it. Obviously, it’s been working out so far.”
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