BOSTON -- Xander Bogaerts belted 23 home runs and ranked ninth in the American League in slugging (.522) this season ahead of Francisco Lindor (.519), Nelson Cruz (.509), Giancarlo Stanton (.509) and Didi Gregorius (.494).

"He's got maybe the most power on the team," AL MVP frontrunner Mookie Betts said about Bogaerts.

"Who?" a surprised Bogaerts said when he heard what Betts said about him.

"No," Bogaerts added. "He's wrong, man. He's wrong."

Bogaerts and the Red Sox open their best-of-five ALDS vs. the Yankees on Friday at Fenway Park. Game 1 starts at 7:32 p.m.

What a difference one year makes. The Red Sox shortstop from Aruba hit only 10 home runs and ranked 67th in the AL in slugging percentage (.403) during 2017.

He never slugged above .446 until this season. His .522 slugging percentage is 93 points higher than his career mark.

Bogaerts transformed himself from an opposite-field singles hitter into the Red Sox cleanup hitter -- a power threat looking to belt every pitch into the gap.

Hitting coach Tim Hyers said he has told Bogaerts, "Don't settle for just hitting a single opposite field. You have more. You have more in there. And if you get pitches to hit, you can drive the baseball in the gaps and hit the ball really hard."

Bogaerts isn't exactly surprised he had this type of season.

MassLive.com asked Bogaerts in May 2015 what type of power hitter he could become. He replied, "(David) Ortiz power, no. Let's say around (Mike) Napoli -- 15-20, 20-25 (homers), around that range. In a few more years probably."

He belted 21 home runs the next year in 2016. But this year he was on another level.

He stroked an additional 15 extra-base hits this season than he did in '16, raising his slugging percentage 76 points.

He admitted he played through a hand injury for much of 2017, causing him to change his swing. Rays' Jacob Faria drilled him with a fastball on July 6, 2017.

"2017 I got injured so I was more down (with the swing)," Bogaerts said. "Just kind of hit the ball on the ground and run because ... it would hurt. But just going back to that has been good."

He feels his swing now is his natural swing.

It's more than health, but it starts with him being healthy, Hyers said.

"Secondly, I think he's been a little bit more aggressive to his pitch," Hyers said. "Maybe the numbers don't show exactly swing percentage or whatever. I know earlier in the season swing percentage was a little higher. But I think he was more aggressive to his pitches and not just settling for that opposite field hit."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Hyers have stressed an aggressive approach all season. They started discussing the approach with hitters during the offseason. They don't want hitters predetermined to take pitches early in counts. The first pitch of an at-bat might be the best pitch to crush.

Red Sox assistant GM Eddie Romero said about Bogaerts, "He's connected on some things with Tim when it comes to pitch selection and pitches to do damage with. Do damage. And I think he's bought into that a lot. To his credit, he's had a great season defensively and he's been one of the most stable guys in the lineup all year round."

Bogaerts batted fifth in the order for much of the season (84 games). But he has assumed the cleanup spot. He has batted fourth 17 times since April 30.

"Staying through the ball longer as I always used to do," Bogerts explained about hitting for more power.

He makes sure his back shoulder doesn't drop.

"Sometimes having to hit the ball in the air against a certain guy, especially like sinker ballers," he said. "Try hit the ball with some lift or at least the bat path. ... Just some lengthier swings. A nice path."

Cora has made a big difference, Hyers said.

"I think the expectations of, 'He can do more.' I think it starts with Alex Cora, our manager who really gave him a lot of confidence," Hyers said. "He said, 'Hey, you're our guy. I know you can do these things. I know that you can drive the baseball. I know you can be a shortstop that is a run producer.'"

Bogaerts also made a few mechanical tweaks.

"Not major stuff but I think trying to stay more upright, get his legs underneath him," Hyers said. "I think that was probably part of it. But I think the thought process is probably a little bit more powerful."

Many people mention launch angle when discussing Bogaerts' transformation.

"I've never used (the words) launch angle with any of the guys," Hyers said. "It's more driving the baseball to meet the plane of the baseball as it comes in. Because ultimately we're trying to hit line drives. But if we miss a little bit and drive the ball in the air, these guys are big, strong guys with powerful engines. They are going to do damage."

Scouts Craig Shipley and Mike Lord discovered and signed Bogaerts and twin brother Jair Bogaers out of Aruba. Jair no longer plays professionally.

Romero never saw Bogaerts play baseball in Aruba. He first saw him when Bogaerts reported to the team's Dominican academy.

"His first couple rounds of batting practice that I saw were really impressive," Romero recalled.

His bat control and his pop "for a skinny kid" stood out.

"A really good swing and a frame that you knew could add a lot of strength to it," Romero said.

"We had a couple kids from Curacao around that time and they were a little bit more physically developed than he was," Romero added. "He definitely even at that age stood out from the rest of the group."

Bogaerts has developed the body to hit for his type of power.

"He does such a good job of keeping himself in great shape," Romero said. "To see where he's gone along physically. He's got a body to hold up for the duration of the season. That's first and foremost."

Betts led all major league positional players with a 5.65 Win Probability Added, a useful advanced metric. Bogaerts, meanwhile, wasn't far behind. He ranked seventh (3.51) in the AL.

Betts posted a .342/.432/.698/1.130 line with 11 homers, 14 doubles, three triples and 90 RBIs in 183 plate appearances with runners in scoring position.

"Obviously I enjoy that type of pressure," Bogaerts said. "I like it. Just go out there and try to execute is even better. Knowing you have a vision you want to reach."

He thinks about the situation when runners are in scoring position.

"I didn't think about it at the beginning of the year," Bogaerts said. "But just try to do anything in your powers to get that (runner home)."

Bogaerts also is slashing .309/.434/.647/1.081 with five homers, three triples, two doubles and 36 RBIs in 83 plate appearances with runners in scoring position and two outs.

"He knows the strike zone," Hyers said. "He doesn't strike out a lot. And so I think part of it is they've had to come to him and they try to sneak some pitches by him and not fall behind. I think that's a contributing factor.

"And we've got a lot of guys on base for him," Hyers added. "When you have most of the time, J.D. (Martinez) and Mookie and (Andrew) Benintendi in front of him, those guys get on base. His chances are a lot more."

Knowing the strike zone so well forces pitchers to make pitches.

"They fall behind and then he's dangerous," Hyers said. "Pitchers, if you allow them, they'll make mistakes with people on base. They can't just run to the edges all the time. They've got to try to get ahead. ... So they've got to come in the strike zone. And he's ready to be aggressive and do damage."