Buster Olney Clarifies Bombshell Alex Bregman-Red Sox Report
Last Friday, ESPN’s Buster Olney shared a major update on the Boston Red Sox’s pursuit of Alex Bregman, saying on “1st Up” that the Red Sox have “made an aggressive offer” to Bregman.
At the time, he did not provide any specifics on Boston’s rumored offer. In a new article for ESPN on Tuesday, however, he and Jesse Rogers provided some additional intel on the All-Star third baseman.
“The Boston Red Sox want Bregman and have signaled a willingness to pay him big money — perhaps something in the range of what the Tigers offered him last spring, a six-year, $171.5 million deal,” Olney wrote.
If true, that would be a big step up from the three-year, $120 million deal the Red Sox gave Bregman last winter. It would be more years and total money at a lower AAV for the 31-year-old.
Rodgers wrote that the Toronto Blue Jays are likely out of the running for Bregman now after signing Kazuma Okamoto over the weekend. Boston’s top competition for Bregman now appears to be the Arizona Diamondbacks.
While the Red Sox appear to be waiting to see how Bregman’s market develops, they’re still considered the favorites to sign him.
“Many believe the two sides — Boston and Bregman — need each other, given the leadership and production he supplied for the Red Sox last season,” Rogers added. “But free agents always want more than one serious suitor, so one executive put it this way: ‘If it was down to Toronto and Arizona before, maybe it’s now Boston or Arizona.'”
The Diamondbacks would likely want to trade Ketel Marte before signing Bregman, however, which poses an additional hurdle for them.
MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds and Matt Vasgersian believe Bregman will return to Boston, as do many other experts. Time will tell, but the Red Sox still appear to be the best fit for him, especially if they’re offering close to what he wants.