Alex Bregman has officially opted out of his contract with the Red Sox, per a report from Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Bregman will return to free agency, leaving the final two years and $80MM (including $40MM in deferred money) of the deal he signed with Boston last offseason on the table.
It’s an entirely anticipate outcome, as it was reported that Bregman would be opting out his contract last month. Still, the official news is a blow to the Red Sox infield. An All-Star in 2025, Bregman turned down larger offers in free agency in order to sign a short-term deal that gave him the flexibility to return to the open market in hopes that a stronger platform season could buoy him in a second trip through free agency. He certainly got the strong platform season he was hoping for, as he slashed an excellent .273/.360/.462 with 18 homers and 28 doubles in 495 trips to the plate. He was worth 3.5 WAR in just 114 games according to both Fangraphs and Baseball Reference, casting him as a clearly above-average regular capable of slotting into the middle of any lineup.
Of course, not everything about Bregman’s profile is quite so rosy. He played in 114 games this past year because a significant quad injury sidelined him for much of the summer. It’s his second abbreviated season in the past five years, joining a 2021 season where he suffered another quad injury and was limited to just 91 games. Bregman also slowed down a bit in the second half this year; he hit a somewhat pedestrian .250/.341/.386 in 261 plate appearances after the All-Star break.
That injury history, in conjunction with the fact that he’ll celebrate his 32nd birthday in March, could make some teams hesitant to commit to Bregman on a long-term deal. Still, he was pursued by not just the Red Sox, but also teams like the Tigers and Cubs in free agency last winter. With the Tigers coming off a disappointing loss in the AL Wild Card series and the Cubs now having made their first postseason in half a decade, those clubs could be more motivated to improve their lineups than they were last winter. And that’s not to mention the Red Sox themselves, who saw firsthand how valuable Bregman could be as a right-handed hitter in the middle of their lineup.
Bregman’s the standout player on the third base market this offseason, but he’s not the only player available who could fit at the hot corner for a team. Eugenio Suarez slugged 49 homers this year, though his defense is questionable and he’s two years older than Bregman. Bo Bichette is the star of the infield class, but might prefer to stay at his native position of shortstop even if there are teams with interest in him at second or third base. Perhaps a team is convinced of either Munetaka Murakami or Kazuma Okamoto’s ability to play the hot corner in the short term, but both NPB sluggers are generally viewed as better suited for first base defensively as they head into the posting process.
Good on him
I think he would like to come back because he plays so well at Fenway. But it’s all about the money every time. Can’t blame him.
You know home/road splits are readily available online right?
In the first half Bregman had a 142 OPS+ at home vs a 146 OPS+ overall. After he returned from the injury it was an 85 OPS+ at home vs a 103 OPS+ overall.
The Red Sox should focus on resigning Bregman for 6 years / 150+ million and signing Alonso for 6 years / 170+ million. Trade for MacKenzie Gore and Mitch Keller because they’d both excel in Boston.
BaseballFan: Sounds good, but it’s not likely to happen. Bregman is turning down a very generous $40m over the next two years and isn’t likely to play for less. Alonso will also ask for more than 6/170+. I do like Gore in Boston.
Can you say deferrals? Bregman is not getting $40 million AAV. He is getting about $30 million in net present value which is what counts.
He will get $30 million AAV in his next deal and several more years. He stands to gain $90-100 million in guaranteed money.
I would rather they go youth movement and dump their money into pitching.
Walk away from 80mil for more seems greedy to me
Everyone is interested in maximizing their income regardless of what they do for a living.
Next time you’re offered a raise, make sure to turn it down so you don’t feel greedy. But that’s not realistic, and their window to earn is limited in the game.
80 mil is more than any of us will make,would you turn it down for more?
Depends on my priorities.
It’s always so funny hearing people like you complain about a player making $$ but never a word about the billionaire owners. So if he doesn’t make it turn it should just go into the owners pockets? How bout they lower ticket prices? Merchandise?
Yes. Absolutely. If I know for sure that I will get more than $80 million, maybe even from the same company, I would absolutely turn down the $80 million.
In Bregman’s case it was really $60 million since he was not going to get a huge portion of that money until it was worth far less than its present-day value.
Guess Bregman’s Boston Tea Party is officially over.
Bregman served his purpose twofold. Put a stud at third, and secondly allowed them to dump Rafael Devers eight years remaining on his contract.
Not bad for a one year deal. Very effective.
For Devers alone I am good with it. I like him, but there are less expensive options.
On to the Bregman tea bag party.
5/160 6/189 is the prediction range right?
Philly a likely destination if they move Bohm. I think putting that money toward a younger Bo Bichette would be a better move and then put Trea at LF or 3B.
You want bichette at short over Trea? Bichette was playing the best position for him during the World Series which is 2nd.
Bichette should stay at 2nd.
Signing a “younger” Bo Bichette to play SS would leave the Phillies with an inferior player at a pemium position.:-)
Bichette would be the better option for a move off of SS if he’s willing to accept it in free agency.
See ya Bregman……..go get someone else to pay for your middle thirties. I would be very upset if he returns.
Landing spots could possibly be Tigers, Cubs, Mets, Dodgers
I’m with you 100%. Sox are loaded with position players in the outfield and infield.
Use this money to get starting pitching. No ifs ands or buts.
No chance the Dodgers sign cheaters like Bregman.
The Dodgers were cheating in 2017, too. The commissioner said as much in his report. They signed many of those players back and signed several in FA that played on other teams that were penalized for cheating that year. so yes, the Dodgers do sign cheaters.
The Dodgers and their 1 billion dollar cheating of the salary cap wit deferred payments of a decade, what a joke. Not to mention 6 of their 9 in starting lineup came from other teams, so did their 4 aces. Almost no homegrown players, and spent like a billion and a half on the roster, they are everything that is wrong with baseball.
Considering Breslow and Cora’s comments I think there is a very good chance you are going to be upset.
I guess it was inevitable. It is too bad for the team but it makes sense for him to do this. Does the team break the bank or is Campbell ready?
No and no.
JH: “slide Campbell at 3rd saves $65M from Devers/Breg”
Yes and no. Campbell would not be an option at 3B anyway. That would have to be Mayer.
Mayer can’t stay healthy = utility player
That very well may be. He is still their best option at 3B if Bregman does not return.
Worthy to note that this doesn’t mean he’s leaving
I think the Phillies get Kyle Tucker but Bergman could be a nice consolation prize if they miss out on King Tuck
Ingrid Bergman? Iirc she died
Of all the websites in all the world, why did this comment come into mine?
Well played sir. Well played.
Thank you. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Perhaps you two should get a room for your romance and let the adults discuss baseball
The adults were making a joke about something that was apparently before your time. The joke is now on you Seph.
It’s OK.. Just let him round up the usual suspects.
Not that anyone cares but IMO the greatest film ever made.
You’ll have to decide for all of us.
You’re a bigger joke than the Mets
It’s Bregman not Bergman
His 1st half/2nd half splits + the injury makes me nervous about the team committing to him at 3B for 5 or 6 years going into his age 32 season. Even the first half numbers seem to have come with an elevated BABIP (.329) compared to his career average (.281, and it’s been between .260 and ,290 in each of the last 7 full seasons). 3-4 year deal I’d be totally fine with, and perhaps the last couple will simply have to be for spreading the price out and getting it done, but I worry he’ll be dead weight by the end of a long-term deal.
Hard to disagree with your points and I would much rather he sign w BOS for 3-4 years. I honestly think it will take 5 years to seal the deal.
One item I haven’t seen brought up is that he can move to 2B in the later years of his contract. I think the bat will be fine especially in Fenway.
Good luck and thanks but let someone else over pay!
I don’t think his market is going to be what his agent thinks it is.
He’s not just “his agent’. He’s “Super Boras”. slayer of GM’s nationwide.
His Winter Meetings self promotion news conferences are hilarious.
“Of course, Bregman will get seven years or more (deferred)”
And there will be an annual Bobby Bonilla day for the team desperate enough to sign him.
Desperate GM’s, do desperate things
Bregman is adamant he’ll never again wear Red Sox green.
Or white, or red, or yellow or whatever new color maarkenin’ comes up with in 2026.
The Tigers could really use some veteran leadership, and I think Bregman would help with that. No one here seems to argue with the veteran part of the equation! Of course the dollars will be too much, but the Tigers are in a better position to get extra value from Bregman. The Tigers young core (and rising prospects) will be more valuable with veteran leadership.
I know a few Korean war vets who could be had for much cheaper…
@For Love of the Game Bregman doesn’t want to play in Detriot, the Tigers offered him a huge contract last offseason and he turned it down. He is a primadona
As usual LFG you are mostly incorrect. The Tigers offered Bregman a 6/171.5 deal that averaged out to $28.58 million AAV before the $75 million in deferrals that would have lowered the net present value to $22.2 million AAV and $133.2 million overall. The deal they offered also did not have an opt out until after the 2026 season.
Instead, Bregman got a $40 million AAV with deferrals that lowered the value to $30 million and that gave him an opt out after the 1st season, not the 2nd.
That $30 million AAV after deferrals sets the new floor for his next deal. Will it be 5 years or will it be more? It will still have earned him far more money than the Tigers deal.
Going into last off season, Bregman wanted a $200M contract anywhere from 5-7 years. Considering he just had 1/$40M, wouldn’t it stand to reason that any contract in the 150-160 range would get it done?
If I’m the Sox, I put 5/$160 on the table and say give us a call when you’re ready to talk.
Thats the exact same offer he received from the Astros last year and turned it down. I dont see him now all the sudden taking it 1 year later with fewer games played. He is a strong defender and a pretty good hitter right now. But as an Astros fan, I dont think other teams around the league are not paying attention to the Abreu and Walker signing we made and not taking notice how corner infielders are rapidly declining. He may get a 4/130-140 range with an eventual move to either 2nd or 1st by the time the contract is over IMO.
Makes sense for the player, as he’s likely to receive more in the aggregate. But he’s in a slow decline, and any signing team would have to take into account the strong probability they’d be substantially overpaying for the extra years. It would have been more interesting if he took the $80M and re-entered the market two years from now.
I think it is a question of can he get 5 years or more at a yearly rate he can live with. Boras must think he can get a 5 year 170 or 7 and 210 at a minimum. He is giving up 2 at 80 with player options. The calculation has to be they can get more security and a better yearly rate now on a long term than being a FA 2 years from now.
If the Red Sox don’t re sign him they better be signing Bichette. Don’t believe we’ll get either though because that’s how it goes in Boston since Mookie
Bregman himself signing last year puts your theory in the dumpster where it belongs.
Not picking on you in particular just the overall negative fan base so prevalent here. Cheers.
Signing a 3 year deal with an opt out after year 1 doesn’t say much. He was out for a third of the season, and yes the Sox have been locking up young talent like Rafaela and Anthony but free agents are as good as gone. With all the freed up money from Raffy, they need to make a major splash. Whether that’s a FA or a trade/extension. Can you blame me for being skeptical? Just need to see it to believe it after all that’s happened since Betts.
Totally understood and I’m just throwing in my two cents.
As a Met fan forget Bregman, we can get Bellinger and E.Suarez together for what he was getting 😆.
He fits the Reds bill, KBH can be traded in exchange for a bag of balls.
The Sox should resign Bregman, who is better to play 3rdbase for this team… Sign Naylor for 1stbase ,Story opts in to play 2nd with Mayer at short. Infield is set for a while. That is a fine infield both defensively and offensively.
these opt outs are just ridiculous nowadays. play the darn contract or move along. it’s so stupid.
Right ! It’s almost like a step up from the guaranteed contract in protection for the player. It’s another separation a team can offer over others.
You’ve gotta be over 65. He literally played the contact.
Bregman literally did play the contract and now he is probably moving on. You really don’t have anything to complain about here.
The Red Sox should be ecstatic! He is turning down $80MM for two years? I would be surprised if he gets an average of much more than $20 AAV for four years. He’s about to lose alot of money. And NO, the Mets don’t want him!
I really hope the Cubs don’t consider him. I’d rather take Matt Shaw all day everyday over Bregman
Until Shaw proves he can hit I don’t know if I agree. With Tucker leaving, who is going to improve the broken offense?
He had an excellent 2nd half. If in’t wasn’t for Ke’Bryan Hayes, he would’ve won a gold Glove.
Log I agree Matt Shaw is on fast track to be a fantastic player. We got to see small samples of his potential especially in the 2nd half. It’s like you could see the light turning on . His bat is only going to get better he hits everywhere he has played . I gotta hand it to the cubbies sticking with him .
If I were a Brewers, Reds, or Cardinals fan I would want the Cubs to stick with Shaw instead of signing Bregman.
He now has the opportunity to play for The Brewers, they need a great 3B
Lol. The Brewers are a poverty franchise. They don’t even want shell out the money to renovate Miller Park
There were a number of games last season that I thought a bat like Bregman would’ve put the Tigers over the top. But the injury history and age scares me from anything longer and larger than what he’s walking away from.
Seems like people do not believe in Campbell. If the Sox do not sign either Bregman or Bichette, what is the next best option?
Marcelo
Beyond Bregman the 3B options are extremely slim. Suarez is about it and he is going into his age 35 season. The Red Sox only real option might be to put Mayer at 3B. Not a bad option, but he is not Bregman. Mayer’s 30% SO rate and injury history do not inspire confidence. Wrist injuries tend to linger into the next season.
When they do the free agent prediction thing I will guess him going to the Mets.
That is a good call.
Why would he turn down 2 years and $80 mil? That’s silly. He’s worth about $25 mil a year.
It’s his age and maybe he can get 5 years at 25?
Perhaps the thinking is that 45 million is more than he could get in any contract 2 years from now.
He made what amounts to $30 million in 2025 after deferrals. That is the floor. He will get at least that as an AAV in his new deal unless a team wants to extend the deal to 7 or more years to lower the AAV. Something like 7/$192.5 million if that is the case.
Best thing Red Sox could do is say Sayonara Bregman and turn elsewhere. Mayer may be long term answer, but there are a few other short term options that would work in their goal of hounding the yankees.
Wow. Talented player who seems to be a really good leader and competitor but in what world does a person turn down $80 million over two years. Oh yeah, the MLB world…, Crazy to me. Is he really going to get a 4 year deal at $140-$160? Or something like that? Doesn’t it scream ” I want a four year deal so I am getting guaranteed money on my downside and decline as a ball player?
A world in where he is almost guaranteed to get twice that much in guaranteed money by opting out. Most are saying he is looking at 5/160 to 6/189 without deferrals.
You also need to realize that he is not opting out of 2/80. He is opting out of 2/60 because with the deferrals that contract only had $60 million in spending power.
The Tigers won the Wild Card series btw
Naturally. He’s going to make some good cash. I still think the Red Sox are a great fit, though.
What I found interesting is that even though his wife is from Houston and he had not signed a deal anywhere, as soon as the 2024 season was over Bregman sold his home there. He bought a home in Malibu right after the end of the 2024 season. He rented a house in Boston as far as I know. Did he know even before the 2024-2025 offseason began that he would be spending just one season with his new team?
Well, of course he did. The other years were added on for his protection and negotiated wonderfully by his agent.
Only a significant injury or his play falling off a cliff would’ve resulted in an opt in.
Remember, he did all that 4 months BEFORE he eventually signed with the Red Sox in mid-February.
I was thinking it may have been a strategy discussed as a srong possibility so he acted accordingly? Maybe I’m wrong.
He is a fool. He is barely worth 20million per year. RedSox should be jumping up for joy that he opted out. 40 million per year for Bregman, I’d be sick to my stomach
Instead, you are sick elsewhere.
I feel like the odds of Bregman returning are very slim. The Sox could probably get Eugenio Suarez for 2/$40 million and not have to get locked in on a big money long-term deal
Sox- hey if the Sox can lock up Suarez for just two years, i’m def in. Unfortunately, hes going to get more than two yrs, and a LOT more than $20m per year
Madness (and/or greed) leaving 40mil per on the table!
Whoever gives him the years and possibly dollars is going to regret it. Sadly I’m afraid the Mets may pursue him.
i really have no idea if he will be back. He did his job for the sox brass though! He gave them the window to trade Devers without any backlash…..I think Bo Bichette would be a great add, just not a SS. I like Bregman, but hes not going to be worth what he wants.
a lot of people are saying BREGMAN is crazy to opt out….I think its pretty simple he’s going to get paid well over the 60 million he would have made with the Red Sox the next two years. If he get what’s predicted then it a no brainer the guy loves base ball and i think he is looking for more years more money at a less AAV and settle in one spot for possibly the rest of his career. I think most people would rather be guaranteed 6 years 170 million vs 2 years 80 million .or what ever the actual amount he was going to get after deferrals ext. I know he could play the two years out and try again but a lot can happen in those two years….