BOSTON — When Alex Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox this past spring that included opt outs after each season, it seemed clear the veteran third baseman would try his luck on the open market at some point.
Now, it appears that time has come.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, Bregman plans to exercise his opt out after one year in Boston. Once official, the third baseman will become a free agent, giving him another opportunity to land the lucrative long-term deal he originally sought last winter.
Bregman, 32, is coming off a successful season with the Red Sox in which he helped lead Boston back to the postseason for the first time since 2021. Bregman got off to an outstanding start, batting .299 with 11 home runs and a .938 OPS through his first 51 games. That helped earn him his third career All-Star selection, but he also missed nearly two months with a quad strain and wasn’t as productive following his return.
Bregman finished the season with a .273 batting average, 18 homers, 62 RBIs and an .821 OPS. His 3.5 wins above replacement ranked fifth on the team behind Garrett Crochet, Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran and Trevor Story.
Whether or not Bregman returns to Boston should rank among the top stories of the offseason.
Bregman’s presence elevated the club into playoff contention and his impact in the clubhouse was impossible to quantify. He drew effusive praise from his teammates and coaches, particularly for his work with the club’s top rookies like Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer.
The Red Sox also need all the offensive firepower they can get, and if Bregman signs elsewhere he’ll leave a massive void on the left side of their infield.
But Bregman’s decision to opt out isn’t without risk.
Had he opted in, Bregman would have been in line to earn $40 million next season, including some deferred money. While Bregman should easily be able to beat the two years, $80 million he had left on his Red Sox deal, his potential earnings could be undercut by the fact that he suffered a significant injury and seemed to run out of gas by season’s end.
One factor that hampered Bregman’s contract demands last winter was the qualifying offer he was extended by the Houston Astros, which meant any team that signed him would have to forfeit a draft pick. Because players can’t be extended a qualifying offer more than once, Bregman won’t have that hanging over his head this time.
Either way, if the Red Sox want to bring Bregman back, they will have to work out some sort of long-term deal, otherwise the standout third baseman could wind up being one-and-done in Boston.
Story by Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald
