With Pete Alonso returning to Queens and the New York Mets, third baseman Alex Bregman remains the most prominent unsigned free agent as spring training approaches.
Bregman, a two-time All-Star who won his first Gold Glove in 2024, reportedly turned down a six-year, $156 million offer to return to the Houston Astros this offseason. Though the Astros have increased their offer, Bregman remains unsigned.
During his first nine seasons, all with Houston, Bregman won two World Series championships, hit 191 home runs, posted an .848 OPS and 132 OPS+, and accumulated 39.6 bWAR.
While many teams could use his right-handed bat in their lineup, the question remains: where will Bregman land with the season fast approaching?
Related: MLB rumors reveal latest Alex Bregman contract demands, could rule out 2 teams
Alex Bregman will most likely sign with one of these teams
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, five teams remain in the Bregman sweepstakes: the Astros, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and Toronto Blue Jays.
“The Astros have their offer out there: it was six years, $156 [million]. It is reported that they went up a little bit and it still wasn’t good enough,” Rosenthal noted.
“The Cubs, I don’t believe they have the willingness or the financial flexibility from their owner to go six years,” he continued. “The Tigers, I don’t believe they want to go six years because they’re sitting on Javy Baez’s contract and it’s an albatross and that is informing their thinking, maybe not the right way but it is, on Bregman.”
"It's the Cubs, it's the Tigers, it's the Red Sox, the Blue Jays, and the Astros"@Ken_Rosenthal with the latest on Alex Bregman pic.twitter.com/lxpK5sp3dx
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 7, 2025
Regarding the Red Sox, Rosenthal emphasized that Boston has needed a reliable right-handed bat since last year.
“I do not know and I cannot figure out, other than financial restrictions, why they have not been more aggressive on that front. They could use Bregman,” he said.
The Blue Jays remain on the periphery, having played bridesmaid throughout the offseason after missing out on free agents like Juan Soto and Pete Alonso.
“The Blue Jays, of course, can use him as well, and maybe they’re a team that would go six years, and maybe like Alonso, like Soto, and like others, he just is not willing to go there,” Rosenthal stated.
The key question now is whether Bregman will stand firm on seeking a long-term deal or accept a shorter-term contract with opt-outs, similar to Alonso’s approach, allowing him to retest the market after the 2025 season.
“It has worked for some and not for others. Or, does Bregman ultimately get the six-year offers that we keep hearing about, the six or seven years. That’s where this is going to turn or hinge,” Rosenthal concluded.
Whichever team signs Bregman will acquire an All-Star-caliber player capable of delivering at least 25 home runs and 80-90 RBI per season.
Related: Promising Houston Astros news on Alex Bregman contract talks
