It took until the official start of spring training, but the Boston Red Sox finally got the right-handed bat they searched for all offseason.
According to multiple reports, the Red Sox reached a three-year, $120 million contract agreement with veteran infielder Alex Bregman on Wednesday night. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman and The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reported there are opt-outs for Bregman after each season.
The Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros reportedly were all after Bregman, but the Red Sox won out in the end with a short-term deal with an average annual value of $40 million per season.
Bregman played primarily third base in his nine seasons with the Astros, but could make the move to second base with the Red Sox since Rafael Devers is stationed at the hot corner. Bregman, who won a Gold Glove at third last season, has started just two games at second in his MLB career.
Bregman going to Boston rejoins him Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who advocated for the 30-year-old throughout the offseason. The two were on Houston’s 2017 World Series team together as Cora served as the Astros bench coach that year.
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“Alex is a good player, man,” Cora told reporters at the Winter Meetings. “He’s a complete player. It’s a player, he’s been on winning teams his whole career. Good defender. Offensively, he’s really good. He’’ a guy that a lot of people are talking about. I do believe he can impact a big-league team, a championship-caliber team. He’s that type of player.”
The Red Sox will get a player with a winning pedigree and a veteran leadership presence in Bregman. He won two World Series titles with the Astros and was named an All-Star twice during his tenure with Houston.
But it’s been six seasons since Bregman’s last All-Star appearance. He saw his production dip over the years, including in 2024 when he batted .260 with 26 home runs and 75 RBIs.
But playing at Fenway Park, where Bregman is a career .375 hitter with seven home runs and 15 RBIs, could revitalize Bregman as the Red Sox will count on him in the middle of their order.
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