Xander Bogaerts has steadily been one of the better shortstops in the American League since 2015, but you wouldn’t really know it by the All-Star voting results.
Bogaerts has only made one All-Star team (2016) and finds himself sixth in the voting for AL shortstops this year. He trails Jorge Polanco (Twins), Carlos Correa (Astros), Gleyber Torres (Yankees), Tim Anderson (White Sox) and Francisco Lindor (Indians). That’s despite him leading all AL shortstops in doubles, homers, walks and RBIs and being second behind Polanco in OPS.
The 26-year-old expressed frustration over the matter in comments to WEEI on Tuesday.
“These past few years every time I’ve come up just short even though my numbers have been up there or better than most of the guys,” Bogaerts told WEEI.com Tuesday. “It’s just so weird. I just miss out when in my opinion I should have been there. I just feel like it’s a routine, every year the same thing. It’s kind of getting annoying. But I don’t know what to do.”
Bogaerts made the Final Vote twice but lost to Mike Moustakas both times.
He is having an All-Star-worthy season and should be tabbed for the team. One problem he’s facing this year is Twins, Yankees and Indians fans have done a great job voting for their players. Another issue in the past has been the competition at the position, which has been stacked with quality players like Manny Machado, Andrelton Simmons, Didi Gregorius, as well as Correa and Lindor.
Bogaerts signed a six-year, $120 million extension in March, showing how much the Red Sox value him. The money won’t buy him a spot on the All-Star team though, and not making it is bothersome to Bogaerts.
