In one of the biggest moves of the last offseason, the Boston Red Sox, at the outset of spring training, landed former Houston Astros free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman on a three-year contract for $120 million. But both sides knew the deal was not built to last.
The contract contained a player option after both the first and second years. Despite a largely successful season â though one marred by a lengthy quadriceps injury â in which he helped lead the Red Sox to their first postseason appearance since 2021, Bregman took that option on Nov. 2, informing the Red Sox that he would not be returning, instead becoming a free agent for the second year in a row.
With the calendar now turned to 2026, Bregman remains a free agent. Like his fellow free-agent position players Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette and Eugenio Suárez, the 10-year veteran who turns 32 on March 30 remains unsigned.
But a new prediction from a team of experts this week would be good news for Bregmanâs former team, the Red Sox, if it proves true, though not without a significant cost.
Bregman Will Return to Boston, Experts Predict
The Red Sox have been historically reluctant to offer long-term deals to free-agent players who are more than 30 years old. They reportedly made a three-year, $85 million offer to former New York Mets franchise home run king Pete Alonso, throwing in an option for a fourth season at $35 million.
But Alonso signed instead with the Baltimore Orioles, which, despite paying him only $1 million more per season than the average $30 million Boston offered over four seasons, gave the slugging first baseman a five-year contract.
But according to a new prediction from the staff of SportsGrid, the Red Sox will be forced to bend their principles to re-sign Bregman, giving him a five-year contract at $155 million â the same deal the Orioles gave Alonso.
Bregman is Red Sox Top Priority
Bringing Bregman back to Fenway Park has been widely reported to be the top priority for Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. While Alonso is defensively limited, Bregman has won a Gold Glove for his prowess at the hot corner, and his leadership with Bostonâs rising group of young stars won him the admiration of both his teammates and Fenway fans.
So it makes sense, at least in theory, that the Red Sox might bend their principles to give Bregman a year more than they would otherwise prefer.
“Bregman will turn 32 around opening day, and while he may seek a deal that carries him deep into his late 30s, market realities suggest that may be ambitious. Last yearâs six-year offer from Detroit already represented the high-water mark in length, and itâs unlikely teams extend beyond that as he ages and comes off an injury-affected season. Boston remains a logical landing spot,” according to SportsGrid, in a prediction published earlier this week.
“At the same time, a six-year commitment seems unlikely after last yearâs short-term pact; a five-year deal at a similar effective AAV would align well for both sides,” the publication said.
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