Xander Bogaerts of Boston Red Sox a no-show at New Jersey charity event

Joshua Jongsma | NorthJersey

The Red Sox already were not the most popular team in New Jersey, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts didn't endear himself to fans when he bailed on a scheduled autograph signing in Bayonne.

Bogaerts was supposed to make an appearance at Luxe Autos last Saturday while the Red Sox were in town to play the New York Yankees. He never showed for the breakfast and meet-and-greet, though.

"There were over 200+ people who appeared to this event, only to be left disappointed," Luxe stated in a press release. "There were fans who were lined up at the Luxe Autos entrance starting at 5:30 a.m., those traveling from near and far, including a few fans who came all the way from Boston, were left devastated."

The event benefited Bogaerts' Dare to Dream Foundation that supports youth baseball.

The event was free other than for VIP seating, but all those tickets needed to be refunded, Luxe stated.

The company's staff tried to reach Bogaerts in the days since for an explanation but did not receive a response, the release stated. The event had been planned for three months and the company spent $5,000 to prepare, according to the release.

The event was described as a "can't miss" time on Facebook, leading one disgruntled commenter to add, "except for the guest of honor."

Luxe wanted an apology for the fans who attended.

"For one of the league’s 'nicest' players," the company stated, "it was a huge surprise to all that he single handedly let down all of his fans this Saturday."

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Email: jongsma@northjersey.com