The MLB free agency pool continues to dry up, which means the bigger fish are running out of places to hide. Alex Bregman is still unsigned, to the bafflement of many, and it’s still unclear where the All-Star third baseman and two-time World Series champ might actually end up.
At 30 years old, Bregman is smack in the middle of his prime. He offers an incredibly diverse and balanced skill set, with one of the best plate approaches in baseball and a solid glove at arguably the toughest infield position. After nine very successful (if at times controversial) years with the Houston Astros, one thing appears increasingly clear — he ain’t going back.
Here’s what we do know. Houston has a six-year, $156 million contract on the table and Bregman is not taking the bait. He also has a six-year offer with an opt-out after the first season from a team that “may not be high on his list,” per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Let’s nickname this mystery team, hmmm, “the Toronto Blue Jays” and move on.
Bregman clearly wants a lucrative long-term contract, in keeping with Scott Boras protocol, but if he doesn’t get the number he’s looking for, we can expect the all-too-predictable pivot to a shorter deal with opt-outs and flexibility. If Boras doesn’t get his money, he will damn sure get another bite at the proverbial apple.
That could set up the Boston Red Sox quite nicely.
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Boston has been flirting with Bregman all winter. Alex Cora, Bregman’s former bench coach in Houston, has waxed poetic about Bregman’s Gold Glove potential at second base, should he hypothetically share an infield with Rafael Devers. Now, the Red Sox are actually picking up steam in free agency’s biggest remaining sweepstakes.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Red Sox and Detroit Tigers are “co-favorites” to sign the former Silver Slugger.
While it seems almost inevitable that 1B Pete Alonso returns to the Mets, the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox loom as co-favorites for 3B Alex Bregman with no movement in Astros talks.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 31, 2025
The Tigers are a worthy opponent here, as A.J. Hinch won a World Series alongside Bregman in Houston, but like… so did Cora. Also, when was the last time Detroit broke the bank for a major free agent? That whole Javy Baez thing didn’t work out. The Red Sox aren’t traditionally the big spenders fans want them to be, but we’ve seen Boston connected to Juan Soto, Max Fried, and Corbin Burnes this winter alone. The winds of change are howling, and the Red Sox appear serious about getting better.
So, we should start preparing mentally for Bregman in Boston. It feels like the right fit, even if he has to move to second base for 30 games before Cora pulls the plug on Devers at third. Boston’s lineup is littered with quality left-handed bats. Bregman can balance it out with some slugging from the right side. He’s a proven winner and the exact sort of piece who can help the Red Sox make up ground in a competitive division.
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