The Boston Red Sox have been consistently linked to Alex Bregman this offseason, but the star third baseman remains unsigned.
Unlike other free agents, Bregman seems to be holding out for one last big, long-term deal before the end of his career.
If that’s what Bregman is seeking—something all reports suggest—it doesn’t appear the Red Sox are willing to offer it.
According to Alex Speier of *The Boston Globe*, the Red Sox have engaged in talks with Bregman throughout the offseason but are reportedly interested in signing him to a shorter contract, no longer than four years. Speier, citing multiple sources, wrote that the team’s interest lies in a deal of that length for the two-time World Series champ.
The Red Sox likely hesitate to offer a major financial commitment to Bregman due to his age—he’ll be 31 in March—and a slight dip in his performance last season. Additionally, the team has a promising prospect in Kristian Campbell, who can play either second or third base and is close to making the jump to the majors.
However, other teams are clearly more willing to offer Bregman a longer contract. Ari Alexander of KPRC2 in Houston reported that the Astros still have a six-year, $156 million deal on the table, which Bregman initially declined. Alexander also mentioned that at least three other teams have presented Bregman with offers of five years or more.
Whether the Red Sox are one of those teams remains unclear. If they aren’t, they may need to adjust their offer if they want to land Bregman or rely on Alex Cora’s strong relationship with the player to convince him to accept Boston’s offer.
Leave a Reply