Bogaerts joins Devers as Red Sox All-Star

J.D. Martinez also part of All-Star contingent as injury replacement

July 12th, 2022

BOSTON -- The most consistent person in the organization, as Red Sox manager Alex Cora likes to call Xander Bogaerts, is once again an All-Star.

Bogaerts, the longest-tenured member of the Red Sox despite being just 29 years old, was announced as a reserve for the American League team on Sunday.

“Obviously it’s a blessing,” Bogaerts said. “I feel like experiencing those great occasions is special.”

This year’s All-Star Game will be played at Dodger Stadium on July 19. That venue will bring back good memories for Bogaerts and his All-Star teammate, Rafael Devers. The last time they were there was the night of Oct. 28, 2018, when the Red Sox won the World Series.

Devers was selected as the starting third baseman for the AL on Friday night.

Bogaerts and Devers are Boston’s two All-Stars this season, and they will enjoy the experience of going together because they are best friends.

"It's huge. Two of our main players on the team,” said Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez. “They both deserve it, they've both been having unbelievable seasons, and it's exciting for them and it's exciting for us to be able to watch them."

(Update, July 12: Martinez joined Devers and Bogaerts on the All-Star team when he selected as an injury replacement for the Astros' Yordan Alvarez on Tuesday, Martinez's fifth All-Star selection.)

This is the fourth time Bogaerts has been an All-Star.

“It’s special, you know. I feel like every time it’s different,” Bogaerts said. “It’s definitely something that in the offseason you have in your mind. If you want to say you have some goals set, I think obviously every player individually would want something like this.”

After Sunday’s game against the Yankees, the veteran shortstop had a slash line of .311/.389/.449 with 21 doubles, seven homers and 35 RBIs.

“Everybody knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him in the organization,” said Cora. “For him to be voted in by his peers and the coaches, I know it means a lot.”

As a late-season callup to the Red Sox in 2013, Bogaerts moved into the starting lineup in the middle of the postseason and was part of a World Series-winning team at the age of 21.

By ’18, when Bogaerts won his second ring with a team that won 108 games in the regular season and went 11-3 in the postseason, the shortstop was a core member of a championship squad.

The right-handed hitter from Aruba is a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner.