The Red Sox were close to swinging a huge move.
Now, to start the season, Bregman is at the hot corner while Rafael Devers has been moved exclusively to be a designated hitter. The results haven’t quite been there yet, as Boston sits at just 1-2 ahead of the conclusion of a four-game set with the Texas Rangers on Sunday.
It turns out that Bregman wasn’t always the plan for the Red Sox at third base this offseason. Over the winter, Boston was close to pulling off a trade for Cardinals star Nolan Arenado before the Bregman deal became available, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
“The Boston Red Sox were deep into trades talks and on the verge of acquiring Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals until Alex Bregman dropped into their laps,” Nightengale wrote.
Bregman is doing just fine settling in with Boston, recording a trio of singles in 12 at bats over three games. On the other hand, Arenado has been spectacular on the way to the Cardinals opening with a 2-0 record. He is 4-for-8 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs in two games.
Time will tell if the Red Sox should have pushed harder to get a deal done for Arenado or if Bregman can match that production this season with his new team. While Arenado hasn’t been dealt yet it is still something that could come up during the season. Regardless, the Red Sox are moving forward with their new $40 million a year third baseman.
