Xander Bogaerts May Have Earned His $280 Million Contract In One Game

The San Diego Padres agreed to pay shortstop Xander Bogaerts $280 million over 11 years, a deal that initially surprised the baseball industry. Before San Diego, the Boston Red Sox offered $90 million over four years, later improving to six years and $162 million. After making his MLB debut in August 2013, Bogaerts moved to third base in the playoffs as Boston won the World Series in 2013 and again in 2018, when he played shortstop. With the Padres starting in 2023, his career line is .292/.356/.458 (156 HR, 683 RBI), but early production has lagged. That context shifted Tuesday during the Division Series versus Milwaukee, where his defense and key plays helped swing momentum.