Throughout the offseason the CBS Sports MLB experts will bring you a weekly Batting Around roundtable breaking down pretty much anything. The latest news, a historical question, thoughts about the future of baseball, all sorts of stuff. Last week we attempted to predict the next five years of baseball. This week we’re going to tackle Alex Bregman’s future.
Which team most needs to sign Alex Bregman?
R.J. Anderson: I’ll go with the Red Sox. I think they need to make the most of the opportunity in front of them. You add Bregman to that collection of players, both already in the majors and en route from the minors, and you have the makings of a team that can “arrive” a year or two earlier than expected — and perhaps even compete for the American League East title this season. Having Bregman change positions prevents it from being a perfectly clean fit; at the same time, though, having him in tow would allow Craig Breslow to make another trade or two from his position player depth if and when there’s a chance to further upgrade his pitching staff.
Matt Snyder: I like the Tigers here. They have an up-and-coming roster, but I suspect the miracle playoff run covered up some glaring holes. They still need more power on offense and especially need it from the right side, as that lineup is awfully lefty-heavy. An added bonus is all of Bregman’s playoff experience plus his time with manager A.J. Hinch. He’d fit in seamlessly as a veteran leader. As if we needed more reason, the Tigers have the financial wherewithal to run a big payroll and they hardly have any salary on the books moving forward aside from one albatross contract that doesn’t go too much longer.
Dayn Perry: I’ll say the Blue Jays, in part because they need to find someone to take their money. Really, though, Bregman addresses a need for them in terms of offense and defense at the hot corner. On top of all that, signing Bregman allows the Jays to keep Ernie Clement in a multi-positional role, which is what drives his value. Jays fans after so many fruitless pursuits of big-name free agents in recent years need a win like this.
Mike Axisa: The Brewers. The current plan at third base is, uh, a Caleb Durbin and Oliver Dunn platoon? They’ve won back-to-back NL Central titles, I know, but I think the Cubs are within striking distance, and you don’t have to try too hard to see things coming together for the Reds, enough to make noise in the division. The Brewers are the NL Rays. They’re the smartest team in the league and every year they win more regular season games than expected, then they lose in the postseason to a team that operates the same way, only with more money. Bregman’s pull-heavy approach is a wonderful fit for American Family Field. Going from a Durbin/Dunn platoon to Bregman would be an enormous upgrade and change the team’s outlook considerably. Milwaukee hasn’t won a postseason round since 2018. Spend some money and try to get over the hump, Brewers.
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