The Red Sox have a long way to go before they start weighing offseason options, and if all works out as the team hopes, they’ll simply re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman in the coming months and keep him as the team anchor, both on the field and in the clubhouse.
But given the fact that other top teams around MLB–like the Yankees and Tigers, and you can never count out the Dodgers–will be lining up to make offers to Bregman this winter, after he opts out of the remainder of his Boston deal as expected, the Red Sox can’t be 100% certain on retaining him after what has been a very good one-year marriage.
That’s why there might need to be a Plan B. And while the potential Plan B is not the hitter that Bregman is, he could be a quality leaders and certainly a Gold Glove-caliber player at the hot corner: Cardinals star Nolan Arenado, an eight-time All-Star with 10 Gold Glove in his trophy case.
According to a report in The Athletic, Arenado–who has a no-trade clause and can nix any trade (and did so to a potential deal to Houston last year)–has been open to a move to Boston.
Red Sox on Nolan Arenado’s List
Katie Woo of the site spoke to Arenado about the potential of leaving the Cardinals She reported, “Arenado provided (the Cardinals) a list of five teams he would consider waiving his no-trade clause for: the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Houston Astros. He then balked at a potential deal with Houston that came together shortly after the winter meetings.”
But Arenado, who will be 35 next April, is coming off a season in which he slumped and dealt with a shoulder injury. Arenado batted just .236 on the year, with a career-low .660 OPS. The Cardinals obviously need to move on, and he is ready to accept a trade.
“There are drastic changes that need to happen for me individually and probably with this team,” Arenado told the site. “I’m not a part of those plans for those changes for the team, and that’s OK. I understand that. Obviously, I could come back. That’s always a possibility, so I try to understand that. But at the same time, it looks like it’s best to move on.”
Alex Bregman Will test the Market
Again, Plan A for the Red Sox is to bring back Bregman. He has been open about his desire to come back to Boston, but it’s important to remember that Bregman has Scott Boras for an agent–and that has traditionally meant that teams don’t get the benefit of the doubt just because the player enjoyed his time there.
The Red Sox can’t presume an advantage in re-signing Bregman just because he connected well to the team’s young players, has a personal relationship with manager Alex Cora and his .275 this season with an OPS of .826, his best since 2019.
GettyRed Sox 3B Alex Bregman
Red Sox Have Resources to Keep Bregman
Boston almost needs to re-sign Bregman. Making him the third baseman was the impetus behind dealing away star slugger Rafael Devers, and the Red Sox need to use that savings to keep Bregman in place.
In the wake of the Devers trade, baseball chief Craig Breslow said the the move gave the team flexibility to find pieces that fir the organization’s vision. Bregman should be part of that vision.
Boston saved about $250 million by dealing Devers. He is projected to earn a four-year, $101 million contract by Spotrac, but a bidding war could very well drive that number higher. Arenado, at least, would be a way to fill the gap if the Red Sox are outbid.
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