Padres' Xander Bogaerts Says Expectations are Higher in San Diego Than With Red Sox

Gabe Smallson | Feb 16, 2025

Sep 14, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Diego Padres infielder Xander Bogaerts (2) gestures toward the Padres dugout after hitting a one-run home run against the San Francisco Giants during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Xander Bogaerts has two World Series titles to his name from his decade spent with the Boston Red Sox. He knows a thing or two about expectations.

The newly announced shortstop has revealed that the current state of the San Diego Padres has higher expectations for winning more so than his former team, Boston.

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The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee reported how Bogaerts goes about these expectations and what it means to play for an organization that has yet to win a championship.

“I think some of it has to do with you coming to a city that has not won,” Bogaerts said. “I’ve been a part of some winning teams, championship teams with the Red Sox. So I don’t know if it’s like you’re (supposed to be) like kind of a savior.”

The pressure to win in San Diego has never been higher. Coming within one game of knocking out the eventual World Series champions following a 93-win regular season came with immense frustration.

The four-time All-Star further spoke on what the championship pressure has been like in his career.

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“For me, it’s a little different,” he said. “Because I was in a city and on a team that, bro, I mean, I get it can be hard on me here, but over on that side, I mean, it’s a little different, because they expect that every day. That’s how they are. Coming here is kind of the same, but I think it’s a little bit more because of the want to win badly. And that’s something that I respect and I understand. Like, they want it so bad.

“They’ve never won here. I say ‘they,’ but I mean ‘we’ because I’m a part of it now. We’ve never won here. It’s like every year we come up just short if we ever make it, or are we just short (of making) the playoffs. And I think that creates a lot of frustration. The kids come to a ballpark, the grandparents, the dads, they’re (getting) old and have never witnessed anything.”

In Boston, a championship contender on the field is all but expected each season given the history, but the pressure to do something for the first time, after coming so close the season prior, is immeasurable.

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