By all indications, the free agent market for Xander Bogaerts is a robust one. Reports in recent days have suggested a wide swath of interest in the 30-year-old shortstop from a variety of teams — whether they be contenders or still building, or with a large or small payroll.
The interest is widespread enough that Bogaerts’s return to Boston certainly should not be taken for granted. And one report Wednesday went in the opposite direction, with Peter Gammons of The Athletic tweeting that members of three front offices had “been told he has severed Boston ties and won’t be going back.”
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Bogaerts’s agent, Scott Boras, downplayed that notion.
“Xander is open to any and all voices in the free agent market,” Boras said by phone. “We have not closed any doors on anyone.”
Boras also responded to a report that the Padres might have interest in Bogaerts as a second baseman or first baseman, suggesting that no teams had discussed an interest in him at a new position.
“No one is going to Xander Bogaerts and asking him to play anything other than shortstop,” Boras said.
Bogaerts, a four-time All-Star for the Red Sox who won his fifth Silver Slugger Award this year, is coming off a season in which he hit .307/.377/.456 with 15 homers. While his power was down, he had arguably the best defensive season of his career, so his free agent conversations have indeed remained focused on staying at short.
Alex Speier can be reached at alex.speier@globe.com. Follow him @alexspeier.