Red Sox Rumors: BOS Exploring Trade Market for 2B amid Xander Bogaerts' Free Agency

The Boston Red Sox are already considering backup plans in case veteran shortstop Xander Bogaerts departs the club in free agency this winter.

They are exploring the market for a second baseman and have begun reaching out to teams to see who might be available, "hoping to figure out Plan B in the likely event" Bogaerts signs elsewhere, per MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

"It doesn’t seem like they're going to spend big on a shortstop," a source told Feinsand. "They knew this was a possibility when they signed [Trevor] Story last year."

However, Sean McAdam of Boston Sports Journal reported last month that Red Sox owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner had met with Bogaerts to reiterate that re-signing him is their "top priority."

Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom also said last month, per MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo:

"That's no different than where we've been. Our position hasn't changed on that. I've said this before, but nothing I say really matters unless there's a deal. But our position has been the same, that we want to keep him here for a long time and we want him here on a deal that we're going to look back on and say, 'This was great for everybody.'"

If Bogaerts exits in free agency, which opens Thursday, the Red Sox would reportedly move Story back to shortstop, his natural position. The 29-year-old played second base for Boston last season after signing a six-year, $140 million deal with the franchise.

Before joining the Red Sox, Story served as the Colorado Rockies' No. 1 shortstop for six seasons.

Seeking a lower-priced second baseman would make financial sense for the Red Sox, especially considering Bogaerts—one of the premier shortstops on the market this winter alongside Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson and Trea Turner—should receive a significant raise from the $20 million per year he was earning in Boston.

However, seeing Bogaerts depart would be a tough blow for the Red Sox in more ways than one. The 30-year-old is the team's longest-tenured player and one of its biggest leaders in the locker room.

In addition, he is one of Boston's best hitters and is coming off a season in which he slashed .307/.377/.456 with 15 home runs, 73 RBI and eight stolen bases in 150 games. He hit .300 or better in three of the last four seasons.

Bogaerts has helped Boston win two World Series titles, has four Silver Slugger awards and has been named an All-Star four times over his 10-year career.

Losing that production would be devastating for a team that went 78-84 in 2022, finishing last in the AL East and missing the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.

It's unclear which second basemen the Red Sox might be targeting as a backup plan.