Contract Extensions Elude Xander Bogaerts And Aaron Judge With Focus On 2022 Season

Failed attempts at contract extensions for two of Major League Baseball’s superstars has been a topic of conversation throughout the opening weekend of the 2022 regular season. New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge could not come to terms with the ball club even as it was reported the Yankees had offered him a seven-year, $213.5 million contract extension prior to the Opening Day deadline. Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts has an opt out clause in his six-year, $120 million contract at season’s end and couldn’t agree on an extension that is aligned with what ball clubs are currently paying for elite shortstops.

The Yankees had offered Judge a competitive contract extension with an average annual value of $30.5 million but didn’t include his 2022 salary. It appears as if Judge and the Yankees will rectify the difference of opinion regarding this matter through an arbitration hearing with Judge requesting $21 million and the Yankees holding firm at $17 million. Judge has remained silent regarding the details of a contract extension that would be suitable to him. However, rumors are circulating regarding Judge’s interest in a decade long contract extension exceeding $300 million and a desire for an average annual value that equals or surpasses Mike Trout’s current contract. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Los Angeles Angels center fielder’s 12-year, $426.5 million contract extension comes with an average annual value of $35,541,667.

Bogaerts had signed a contract extension with the Red Sox in April 2019 which many believed was below market value. The six-year contract covers the 2020-2025 seasons with an average annual value of $20 million. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, a seventh-year option is attached to the contract at $20 million for his age 33 season. The option becomes guaranteed provided that Bogaerts is healthy at the conclusion of the 2025 season and has achieved 535 plate appearances. Bogaerts has easily surpassed this milestone in seven of his nine seasons at the major league level.

As disappointment is evident in both ball players, winning and performance are now on the forefront of their minds. Some might question Judge’s decision to turn down a long-term contract extension given his age and injury history, but he is a legitimate most valuable player award candidate every season when health is on his side. Bogaerts knows what it means to walk away from the final three years of his current contract and a guaranteed $60 million. Judge and Bogaerts have tremendous confidence in their abilities and are also aware of how they have positively contributed to the overall value of their franchises.

The Red Sox will need to make several important decisions at season’s end. Besides the matter involving Bogaerts, designated hitter/outfielder JD Martinez and right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi will become free agents. While the average annual values of Martinez ($22 million) and Eovaldi’s ($17 million) contracts might initially represent a savings, the Red Sox also need to address the future of third baseman Rafael Devers. As he embarks upon his age 25 season earning $11.2 million, Devers has one year left of arbitration eligibility and recently rejected a contract extension from the Red Sox.

Like Judge’s situation with the Yankees, Bogaerts and the Red Sox want to continue their business relationship but under the right financial terms. Bogaerts has been the personification of loyalty, reliability, and consistency. If he does opt out, how aggressive will the Red Sox be in pursuing him given the presence of Devers’ contract situation? Will they be interested in adding a ball player who will likely command an average annual value of $30 million entering his age 30 season?

While it would be another departure of a beloved Red Sox ball player and leader in Bogaerts, Trevor Story could shift back to shortstop and is a defensive upgrade. According to FanGraphs, there have only been six shortstops who have played 4,000 innings at the position between the 2018-2021 seasons and both Bogaerts and Story had qualified based on the criteria. An underrated superstar, Bogaerts’ key defensive weakness applies to his range at shortstop.

Significant differences exist between Bogaerts and Story regarding three defensive metrics: Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), and Outs Above Average (OAA). During this period, Story posted a 43 DRS, 14 UZR, and 6 OAA. In comparison, Bogaerts posted a -26 DRS, 4.8 UZR, and -25 OAA. Story committed 45 errors over 4,296.1 innings while Bogaerts committed 37 errors over 4,158.1 innings.

Story signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox. The contract includes an opt out after the 2025 season as well as a 2028 club option for $25 million with a $5 million buyout for his age 35 season. According to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, Story’s opt out can be negated if the Red Sox decide to exercise the 2028 option. The biggest takeaway from the contract is the Red Sox are paying a top tier shortstop who switched positions to second base an average annual value of $23,333,333.

Xander Bogaerts and Aaron Judge intimately understand what it means to play for iconic franchises that are deeply committed to winning. Even though there are mutual feelings of respect and admiration between both franchises and their superstar ball players, Bogaerts and Judge want to be properly compensated based on talent and market value. Instead of engaging in prolonged contract negotiations throughout the course of the regular season and becoming a distraction to their ball clubs, Bogaerts and Judge have quickly shifted gears and are solely focused on winning and performing at an elite level.