Re-signing Alex Bregman was a priority for the Boston Red Sox heading into the offseason. But if recent reports on the third baseman’s market are accurate, don’t count on a reunion.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel recently projected Bregman — who turns 32 in March — will earn a five-year, $170 million contract in free agency. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote that Bregman is “believed to be seeking a five-year deal.” McDaniel’s ESPN colleague Jeff Passan took it a step further, noting that Bregman “figures to seek six years.”
Signing Bregman to that kind of contract would be out of character for the Red Sox, who are notoriously reluctant to offer long-term deals to players in their 30s. It’s still a possibility — they signed then-29-year-old shortstop Trevor Story to a six-year pact in 2022 — but it’s hard to picture them outbidding clubs that are willing to get aggressive for Bregman’s services.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have surprisingly emerged as one of those clubs. Multiple MLB insiders have named the D’backs as a legitimate threat to sign Bregman, who hails from nearby New Mexico and works out in Phoenix. Jared Carrabis of the popular “Section 10” Red Sox podcast, who has a personal relationship with Bregman, believes Arizona is willing to go up to six years for the three-time All-Star.
Five or six years for Bregman is risky, but the Red Sox put themselves in a position where they lack a better alternative. They essentially signed Bregman to replace slugger Rafael Devers, who they shipped to the San Francisco Giants in June. It would be a terrible look for Boston’s front office to watch Bregman sign elsewhere while holding onto the roughly $250 million it saved in the Devers deal.
If Bregman leaves, Bo Bichette is the next best option on the free-agent market. The 27-year-old has almost exclusively played shortstop throughout his career, but due to his defensive shortcomings, he’ll likely move to second or third base wherever he signs. He’s coming off a bounce-back season with Toronto in which he hit .311 with 18 homers and 94 RBI in 139 games.
Boston has also been linked to 34-year-old slugger Eugenio Suarez. While he’d add much-needed right-handed pop to the Red Sox’ lineup, he’s a defensive liability. Signing him as a Bregman replacement at third would be a head-scratcher.
If chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Co. stand pat, former top prospect Marcelo Mayer is the best internal option to take over at the hot corner. Mayer’s debut season was cut short due to a wrist injury, but he played exceptional defense while replacing an injured Bregman at third. His bat still has a ways to go, especially against left-handed pitching.
The Red Sox, who still haven’t made a big-league free-agent signing this winter, can still save themselves an even bigger headache by simply paying Bregman. The likelihood of a reunion seems to be rapidly decreasing, however, and fans should be hovering over the panic button if they haven’t hit it already.