Xander Bogaerts. (Elsa/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts had a tough 2017. He batted just .273 with 10 homers and 62 RBI--all significantly worse totals than his All-Star campaign in 2016.
But, a handful of games into spring training, he's raking!
Bogaerts is batting .556 with a .636 on-base percentage and .778 slugging percentage.
He gave WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Jonny Miller an idea of what he's been working on.
"I had somewhere in my back leg, my back leg would collapse and I would hit a lot of balls into the ground," he said. "Just try to get more balls line drive, you know? More of a line drive approach. I've been working my lower half. Sometimes I'm a hands guy, so if I could combine that with a good lower half, I think that would be nice."
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Bogaerts insisted he'll hit for more power after the down year and, despite primarily batting third, sixth, or leadoff last season, he doesn't care where Alex Cora slots him.
"Originally I batted everywhere, with Alex it'll be a bit different," he said. "Until he probably gets confidence in me and wherever he's going to put me, and then he'll probably bump me up. I don't even know where I'll end up being to start the season, we'll find that out later on ... I'll hit wherever honestly, it doens't matter."
The Sox and Rays play Tuesday.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports