Xander Bogaerts rocks X-Men cleats for Opening Day

April 8th, 2022

Xander Bogaerts, the Red Sox's longest tenured player, has a pretty simple nickname: X-Man. When your first name starts with an X and you have enough talent to be considered a superhero, it just makes sense. So, for Opening Day against the Yankees on Friday, Bogaerts put on the most fitting cleats possible, even giving himself Wolverine-style claws.

Biggest surprise is we didn't know adamantium cleats were allowed on the field.

Bogaerts isn't the only Red Sox player with some flashy feet, though. Christian Vazquez joined in with a pair of Toy Story cleats. He's got one shoe for Woody and another for Buzz Lightyear. Sadly, Rex has been overlooked again.

While it's important to look your best on Opening Day, there's another reason for the Red Sox players to come out with the most artistic footwear this side of Bryce Harper's glittery Phanatic shoes: It's Boston's first time playing the Yankees on Opening Day since 2013. That's also the last Red Sox Opening Day they've had without Bogaerts starting at shortstop.