Why Former MLB GM Calls Alex Bregman ‘Perfect Fit’ For Red Sox

As the Boston Red Sox underwent their first day of spring training Wednesday, optimism was on the rise and then the blockbuster of the team’s offseason broke as Alex Bregman reportedly joined the club.

Bregman agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract, according to multiple reports, late Wednesday night and rejected multiple offers from other teams.

It checked off several boxes for the Red Sox, but none greater than the team’s need for a right-handed bat. It also reunited Bregman with Boston manager Alex Cora — the two stood side-by-side through the 2017 World Series with the Houston Astros — and changed baseball’s perception of the franchise entering 2025.

“This is a far different, far different team than what they’ve had over the past couple of years,” ex-MLB general manager Jim Duquette told MLB Network Radio. “… Bregman isn’t a 30 to 35 home run guy every year but he rakes, first off, at Fenway Park. Second of all, he’s a 25-home run guy maybe. Hopefully, he’ll get back to his idea of the strike zone, not chasing. He’s never really chased, he’s always been a contact guy too — a pull hitter as we’ve talked about a lot. This is a really, almost perfect fit for him offensively.”

Bregman batted .260 in 2024 with 26 home runs and 75 RBIs during his final season with the Astros. The 30-year-old crushed 22 of his home runs to left field, making Bregman an ideal match for Fenway Park. He’s a career .375/.490/.750 hitter with seven home runs, nine doubles and 15 RBIs across 21 career games at Fenway Park, with also 99 games of postseason experience (26 in the World Series) under his belt.

That’s a veteran capable of producing for the current team while also guiding the organization’s stars of tomorrow — Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer — at the same time.

Cora, entering his seventh season at the helm in Boston, offered a glowing review after the news broke of Bregman’s signing with the team.

“As a person, it’s a kid that I really respect, I really like,” Cora said, as seen on NESN. “We went through a lot for a while there. And we have a good relationship. You guys will see — you’ve seen it before. You guys have talked to him. He’s very similar to Dustin (Pedroia) as far as the baseball rat that he is. We’ll see what happens in the future.”

Bregman is Boston’s finishing touch to its encouraging offseason headlined with depth, pitching improvements and a massive vote of confidence entering 2025. The Red Sox haven’t booked a postseason appearance since 2021, but Bregman’s game-changing arrival is projected to soar the club’s chances in its upcoming clean slate.