The 2022 offseason will bring a lot of stress to the Boston Red Sox. Numerous key players are hitting the open market, including All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts. After the 30-year-old exercised his opt-out, Boston is now at risk of losing him.

According to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said that Bogaerts is their top choice in the loaded shortstop market.

“It’s disappointing because Xander has been [a] credit to this organization every day that he’s been in it. We want him here. He makes us better,” said Bloom, via the Boston Globe. “We respect his right to exercise [the opt-out] and to explore the market. We want him back and we will stay engaged with him…Part of our jobs is to explore every option to field a contending team next year and put together a really good group. We need to explore every possible way to do that, but Bogey’s our first choice.”

Xander Bogaerts posted a .833 OPS with 171 hits and 15 home runs last season while posting the second-best on-base percentage (.377) and third-best batting average (.307) of his career. His hitting has always made him a key player for the Red Sox but he could now be on his way out.

The Red Sox will have a tough time convincing Bogaerts to stay after winning only 78 games and having other players — like his infield neighbor Rafael Devers and designated hitter J.D. Martinez — that need new contracts, too. Bloom and the front office will have their work cut out for them this winter.