BOSTON -- Through the driving rain, it was hard to even see the baseball that Xander Bogaerts hammered as it took flight and soared over everything in left field and onto Lansdowne Street.

But there was nothing blurry about the significance, and the Fenway faithful who braved the elements roared with excitement.

It was a grand slam by Bogaerts, the seventh of his career, leaving his bat at an exit velocity of 110.6 mph and traveling a Statcast-projected 421 feet. The 15th homer of the season for Bogaerts led the Red Sox to a 6-0 victory over the Rays that ended with two outs in the fifth inning due to that rain, which only intensified after Bogaerts made his trip around the bases.

Boston’s All-Star shortstop and leader has an opt-out clause he can, and most likely will, exercise after the World Series. The Red Sox have stated publicly numerous times that they’d like to keep their longest-tenured player, who turned 30 on Saturday, for years to come.

But there are no guarantees when it comes to free agency. That means these final two days of the regular season represent a time for the Red Sox and their fans to savor Bogaerts, a key part of two World Series championships and countless big moments.

Bogaerts is also doing his best to take it in. And when his best friend on the team -- third baseman Rafael Devers -- drew that one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth to load the bases, he had a feeling something special was going to happen.

“I mean, sometimes stuff is meant to be,” said Bogaerts. “Obviously, Raffy is not a guy that gets a lot of walks, and he worked that at-bat and got a walk. I just kind of had a feeling. I wasn’t swinging it right, but I just had a feeling that everything was kind of lined up with two more games for the season to end.”

While Bogaerts will get another game on Wednesday -- weather permitting -- in the season finale, there’s a chance Tuesday was the final appearance by Nathan Eovaldi in a Boston uniform. Eovaldi, in his second start back from the injured list, fired five strong innings (two hits, no runs, two walks, four strikeouts). It goes in the books as a shutout, the first of Eovaldi’s career.

Eovaldi is eligible for free agency. Though the 32-year-old righty hasn’t been with the Red Sox as long as Bogaerts, his contributions in October will live on in team lore.

In fact, Eovaldi’s most memorable performance was in a loss. It was Game 3 of the 2018 World Series, an 18-inning thriller, when Eovaldi saved the bullpen by going six innings before surrendering a walk-off homer to Max Muncy. The Red Sox gave Eovaldi an ovation as he walked back into the clubhouse that night.

“We won the [World] Series right there,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Like, no doubt about it. The way they gravitated to him. The way they felt for him after we lost that game, it felt like we won. We knew after that, there was no chance they’re going to win it regardless of who was pitching the next day because of what he did.”

Sure enough, Boston won the Fall Classic in five, and Eovaldi was re-signed to a four-year deal once he hit free agency. The contract worked out well for both sides. In large part due to Eovaldi, the Red Sox came just two wins shy of reaching the World Series a year ago.

Eovaldi isn’t closing the book on a potential return to Boston. But the possibility he won’t be back was something he considered.

“I wouldn’t say emotions, but just the possibility that this one could be the last one here,” Eovaldi said. “I’ve been so grateful for everything the Red Sox have been able to do for me, and the fans have been absolutely incredible. Just the thought that this could possibly be my last one here [was there]. Hopefully, we’ll be able to figure something out and work it out.”

Then there is Bogaerts, who arrived as a shy 21-year-old who took charge in the middle of the 2013 postseason run and became the face of the team following the trade of Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in February ‘20.

“I’ve been here a lot of years,” said Bogaerts. “I’ve enjoyed every moment, and I appreciated the fans, the ups and downs, dealing with [the media], especially sometimes you don’t want to after some rough games. I mean, I’m proud of the man I’ve become.”

For at least one more time, Bogaerts was very much the man on a rainy Tuesday at Fenway.