The New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets are well-accustomed to fierce free-agency bidding wars, and they were all major contenders for Juan Soto before he ultimately signed with the Mets. Now, these four teams are reportedly in another heated competition, this time joined by the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers. The focus of this bidding war is Astros infielder Alex Bregman, who is a free agent this offseason. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Bregman is projected to secure a deal worth around $170 million.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand recently noted that all six teams—the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Tigers, and Astros—are legitimate contenders for Bregman. “The Yankees are believed to have interest in both Bregman and Nolan Arenado, either of whom could take over at third base, shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second. Other clubs expressing interest in Bregman to varying extents include the Red Sox, Mets, Tigers, and Blue Jays,” Feinsand reported.
The Bregman sweepstakes are shaping up to be unpredictable, as any of these teams could likely meet his $170-$200 million asking price—it simply comes down to which franchise believes he’s worth the investment. Notably, the Mets, Astros, and Red Sox are also reportedly in the mix for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado, a less expensive and lower-risk alternative to Bregman. However, for the Yankees, Bregman appears to be the primary target to fill third base. Given their clear need, the Bronx Bombers may emerge as favorites to sign Bregman this offseason—an outcome that would have seemed highly unlikely just a few years ago.
Leave a Reply