When the Boston Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal this offseason, most of the conversation focused on the opt-outs and whether the 31-year-old was worth $40 million a year.
What’s become clear six weeks into the 2025 season is this: they didn’t just sign a bat. They signed a baseball brain trust.
Bregman is hitting .314 with a .981 OPS, 11 home runs, and 33 RBIs through 44 games. The numbers alone are eye-popping — his best start in a decade-long career. But what’s happening off the field, inside the clubhouse, and behind the scenes may be just as impactful for a Red Sox team still finding its identity.
The Swing Fix That Started in the Cage
The turnaround began with a return to process. As first reported by The Athletic, Bregman abandoned years of swing tinkering and returned to the pregame drill set that fueled his 2018–2019 peak. That includes reverse toss flips, angled flips from both sides, and machine work that forces him to precisely drive the inside of the ball.
The result? Bregman is pulling the ball in the air at a career-high rate (29.5%) and barreling up more often than ever (11.5%).
He’s not just swinging — he’s dissecting. Every cage session is an experiment. Every drill has an intention. As teammate Jarren Duran said, “Every swing for him is intentional… he breaks down everything.”
What ESPN Revealed: Bregman’s Leadership Has Transformed the Clubhouse
But it’s not just the bat making Bregman indispensable — his influence.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Bregman has become the unofficial professor of the Red Sox clubhouse. He’s mentoring Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, breaking down game film with Garrett Crochet, and leading cage work with rally cries like “One-two!” to help younger hitters simplify their approach.
Teammates describe him as a cross between Dustin Pedroia’s swagger and J.D. Martinez’s mechanical mastery — but with a teacher’s instinct and a coach’s urgency.
“He’s always talking about baseball,” said Abraham Toro. “And it makes you want to get better.”
Pedroia 2.0? Or Something More?
Bregman has drawn comparisons to Dustin Pedroia inside the clubhouse — not just for his compact frame and relentless preparation, but for his leadership and edge. The difference? Bregman speaks analytics, Spanish, and scouting lingo fluently. He’s part vet, part coach, part savant.
Boston’s young core has gravitated to him. Bregman has responded by buying them tailored suits, riding buses with minor leaguers, and modeling what it means to prepare like a professional.
Is This a Gap Year — Or the Start of a Legacy?
Bregman has opt-outs after this season and next. If he keeps hitting like this, he’ll test the market again — and possibly land an even bigger payday.
But even if 2025 winds up as a one-year rental, Boston’s front office has already gotten a return on its investment. Bregman has stabilized the lineup, mentored its future, and raised the team’s baseball IQ.
And that, as much as any OPS or WAR total, might be what defines his Red Sox tenure.
