Two-time All-Star Alex Bregman remains a free agent with less than four weeks before the start of spring training, and the Boston Red Sox might have an idea of what it’ll take to land the 30-year-old this offseason.
Bregman entered the open market among the most elite infielders available to sign with anyone and put an official end to his nine-year run with the Houston Astros. Aside from his reliable glovework at third base and ability to make the shift to second base, Bregman’s right-handed bat suits Boston’s biggest remaining roster need.
Yet, as Bregman’s agent Scott Boras suggested, if anyone, including the Red Sox, wants the two-time World Series champion, it’ll take a certain kind of contract.
“Bregman’s a championship player, teams know it,” Boras told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “It’s really a matter of his decision-making and theirs, about how you can close up that gap. There’s substantial interest (in long-term) deals.”
Houston didn’t get an All-Star season from Bregman in 2024, however, that didn’t overshadow what the longtime veteran brought to the table. Bregman hit .260 with 26 home runs, 30 doubles and 75 RBIs across 145 games played. That’s still a more-than-serviceable level of offensive production for any team across the league, especially for the Red Sox who parted ways with their 2024 home run leader Tyler O’Neill this offseason.
Bregman’s five-year, $100 million contract from 2019 expired at the end of last season, and although Boras has been busy with other clients such as Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes, that isn’t halting Bregman’s pursuit by any means.
The Red Sox have a valuable tie to Bregman in manager Alex Cora, who spent a season with the Astros during their World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017. Cora parted ways with Bregman and Houston the following offseason to accept Boston’s managerial opening and replace John Farrell.
Boston is filled in every infield spot except for second base, which could warrant a spring training battle between prospect Kristian Campbell and returning veteran Vaughn Grissom, for now. If Bregman does reunite with Cora, it’ll prompt a question as to how the Red Sox will utilize him.
For now, it appears as though Bregman and Boras will lean on the patient approach.