BOSTON — Red Sox President and CEO Sam Kennedy said Wednesday that he is not under the impression that free-agent shortstop Xander Bogaerts had closed the door to a reunion with a team.
Speaking at Fenway Park after the Red Sox unveiled MassMutual as their new signature partner, Kennedy said the Red Sox remain engaged in contract discussions with Bogaerts.
Earlier in the day, reporter Peter Gammons tweeted that people from three teams claimed “they’ve been told (Bogaerts) has severed Boston ties and won’t be going back.” Kennedy disputed that notion. He said Bogaerts had not informed the Red Sox that he is moving on.
“I don’t have that impression but all we can go by is our desire to bring him back,” Kennedy said. “There’s going to be a lot of clubs interested in Xander Bogaerts and we understand that. But we’ve kept the lines of communication open all throughout last season, into the offseason and into his free agency.”
Kennedy’s comments were similar to those of Bogaerts’ agent Scott Boras earlier Wednesday.
“Xander is open to any and all voices in the free-agent market,” Boras told The Boston Globe. “We have not closed any doors on anyone.”
The Red Sox are not alone in their pursuit of Bogaerts. The Phillies, Padres, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Twins and Dodgers are among the other teams with reported interest in the 30-year-old shortstop. Boston has made repeated efforts to re-sign Bogaerts but has been able to cross the finish line on a new deal.
“We remain engaged with his representatives,” Kennedy said. “Scott (Boras) is a busy man. So we’re in touch and conversations continue.”
Kennedy wouldn’t say whether he expects Bogaerts to give the Red Sox a final chance to match another club’s offer before he ultimately signs his deal.
“I wouldn’t want to comment on that because I don’t know,” Kennedy said. “I just know we’ve expressed our desire for him to stay a part of the Red Sox for his full career.”
Kennedy, like many others around the game, expects the free agent market to pick up significantly ahead of the winter meetings, which begin Monday in San Diego.
“I think you’ll see things start to pick up,” Kennedy said. “There’s just something that happens when everybody gets together in person. We’ll all be in San Diego as an industry together and usually that breeds conversations with agents and teams on trade possibilities. I think we’ll see things start to pick up here soon.”
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