MLB Insider Gives ‘Necessary Context’ On Red Sox Target Alex Bregman

As even a casual baseball fan could determine from Alex Bregman lingering in free agency for months, there’s a lot for interested teams to consider when it comes to possibly signing the star third baseman.

The overarching question, of course, is whether a club believes the two-time World Series champion is worth the very long-term contract he reportedly covets. But as ESPN’s Jeff Passan outlined in a column published Tuesday, that question isn’t as straightforward as it might appear.

“He’s certainly not lacking suitors,” Passan wrote. “Among the teams that have shown — and continue to show — interest in the 30-year-old third baseman are the Tigers, Astros, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Cubs. Before we assess the seriousness of their pursuits of Bregman, though, here’s some necessary context.

“Signing Bregman, who has sought a deal of at least six years, is not just about what he does in 2025. Free agency often factors in future classes of available players — and the next two winters offer few infielders who have posted more than 4.0 wins above replacement at least once in the past five years.”

As Passan pointed out, talented infielders like Bo Bichette, Luis Arraez, Ha-Seong Kim, Eugenio Suarez, Brandon Lowe, Nico Hoerner, Jonathan India and J.P. Crawford are slated to hit the open market over the next few years. One could argue Bregman is better than all of those players, but any of those infielders might be able to be signed for more practical value.

Bregman is a great player who can bring more to a club than his and bat and glove. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks otherwise. But when an incredibly significant investment is required to obtain his services, teams would be doing themselves a disservice if they left any stones unturned.