DENVER — Colorado Rockies star shortstop Trevor Story said he wishes he could see Xander Bogaerts play more.
“The AL/NL kind of keeps us apart, but man, he’s so underrated it’s unbelievable,” Story said before the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game here at Coors Field on Monday. “He’s such a good player on both sides of the ball. I appreciate just the way he goes out there every day and posts every day. It feels like he’s getting an extra-base hit every day. He’s just a really productive player. And he’s good for the game.”
Bogaerts started at shortstop and went 2-for-3 with an RBI single in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Story is unsure why Bogaerts doesn’t receive as much attention as the game’s other elite shortstops such Fernando Tatis Jr., Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor.
“I’m not sure why that is,” Story said. “I think from a player’s standpoint, he’s earned that respect. He in my eyes is one of the top shortstops, for sure.”
Bogaerts leads all big league shortstops with 27 doubles and a .321 batting average. He’s second behind only Tatis Jr. in extra base hits (42). He leads all AL shortstops with a .545 slugging percentage and .930 OPS. Bogaerts and Correa are tied for the AL shortstop lead in on-base percentage (.385).
People around the game are starting to realize Bogaerts hasn’t received the recognition he deserves and so he finally is receiving it.
“What Xander Bogaerts is to the Boston Red Sox and who he is in Major League Baseball is a lot clearer now than it was when he signed his last contract,” Scott Boras told MassLive earlier this month. “The point of it is, it’s really something that has given the league and everyone involved the opportunity to know who he is, what he can do, what he’s capable of and what he means to a franchise. It has proved to be something of value and merit to the team and for him, as well.”
Bogaerts, who signed out of Aruba with Boston in 2009, is in his ninth major league season with the Red Sox. The 28-year-old has played 988 games at shortstop (976 starts). Only Everett Scott (1,093) and Rick Burleson (1,004) have appeared in more games at shortstop for the Red Sox than Bogaerts.
He was one of two players interviewed in front of the Coors Field crowd right before the game started.
He also was mic’d up with the broadcaster during his first at-bat Tuesday.
“It didn’t go well either,” Bogaerts said, smiling. “And I’m facing (Max) Scherzer — probably the best in the game. But it was fun. Something different. Definitely the concentration level is a bit not where it’s supposed to (be).”
Bogaerts added, “It’s the All-Star Game. You have only one of these per year. And I’m thankful to be starting. So why not (do it)?”
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