Xander Bogaerts of the San Diego Padres accomplished a rare feat during their first regular-season game of 2024, a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bogaerts’ RBI in the third inning earned him a spot in an exclusive group of MLB players who have recorded hits in five different countries.
Bogaerts now boasts hits in South Korea, the United States, Canada, Mexico City, and England, making him only the third player in MLB history to achieve this milestone. The Padres and Dodgers made history by playing the first regular-season games in Korea.
Prior to Bogaerts, infielders Edgardo Alfonzo and Paul Goldschmidt had accomplished this feat, as reported by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. This achievement adds to Bogaerts’ impressive career, which includes four All-Star selections and five Silver Slugger awards across his ten-year tenure in MLB.
In the Padres’ regular season opener, Xander Bogaerts stood out with two hits out of the team’s four total hits in the game. However, the highlight for Bogaerts and the Padres came in the following game against the Dodgers. They bounced back impressively, securing a convincing 15-11 victory on Thursday.
In this game, the Padres quickly took control by scoring five runs in the first inning against Dodgers’ pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was making his MLB debut. Bogaerts contributed significantly to the win with two hits, three runs, and two RBIs.
Additionally, Manny Machado smashed the Padres’ first home run of the season and recorded three RBIs. Jake Cronenworth also had a notable performance with four hits, while Jackson Merrill marked his debut MLB appearance with his first hit and run.
