From the start of the offseason in Boston, and even before that, the top directive for the Red Sox front office has been to get third baseman and clubhouse leader Alex Bregman signed back on a long-term contract. The Red Sox signed Bregman late in free agency last winter, and did so on an option-laden contract that was pretty clearly always going to be a one-year deal.
Despite missing more than a month with a leg injury, Bregman’s time with the Red Sox was very successful, as he not only hit .273 with an .821 OPS, he also played top-shelf defense at third base and proved to be a valued mentor for the wave of young players the Red Sox brought up last season.
But Bregman is a free agent now, and while both he and the Red Sox are seeking a return engagement, there’s a limit to how far (and how much) Boston will give up to pay a guy who turns 32 at the end of next March. The Red Sox need backup options, and The Athletic says the team has a surprising one on tap: Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette.
Red Sox Considering Bo Bichette in Free Agency
Bichette is a free agent and is no sure bet to return to Toronto. He has played shortstop for all of his seven-year career, though he is not considered a top-level defender at the position. He can hit, though–he was at .311 last year, with an .840 OPS–and has done particularly well when playing the Red Sox in Fenway Park.
That’s one reason the Red Sox could bring Bichette on if they can’t seal the deal with Bregman, according to a report in The Athletic:
“Retaining free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman is a priority for the Boston Red Sox,” the report notes. “But some with the club view Bo Bichette, previously a division rival with the Toronto Blue Jays, as an intriguing alternative.”
The report points out that WEEI’s Rob Bradford raised the Red Sox’s interest in Bichette in October.
(Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)Alex Bregman #2 of the Boston Red Sox
Alex Bregman Contract Prohibitive for Red Sox?
The finances on the deal might attract the Red Sox. Bichette, in Spotrac’s projection, is worthy of an eight-year, $186 million contract ($23.3 million per year), as he will be only 28 in March. Bregman would get, according to the site, four years and $128 million ($28 million per year). The Red Sox probably wouldn’t go eight years for Bichette, but as the winter progresses, and once Bregman signs, the price on him could well drop.
It’s been rumored that Bregman wants a six-year deal, and the Red Sox are not likely to make that long a commitment to him. If, indeed, he gets four years, that would be a lot more comfortable for Boston.
Bo Bichette Has Big Fenway Park Numbers
To make a Bichette signing work for the Red Sox, he would need to move to second base, as The Athletic points out, with Trevor Story remaining at shortstop. Marcelo Mayer, who had a brief but solid stint at third base when Bregman was injured last year, would take over at that spot. Bichette played some second base in the World Series this year.
Bregman’s leadership would be missed, but Bichette has his own advantages: “Bichette is four years younger and his wRC+ over the past six seasons is nearly identical to Bregman’s. Bichette’s was 21 percent above league average, Bregman’s 24 percent. In addition, Bichette has always hit well at Fenway Park, batting .329 with a .907 OPS in 157 plate appearances.”
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