Losing Alex Bregman after contentious contract negotiations — one year after displacing Rafael Devers to make room for him — wasn't anyone's idea of a good offseason for the Boston Red Sox. The front office made up for his departure with some savvy moves on the pitching side of things, but it wasn't an ideal ending to an all too brief tenure in Beantown.
Beyond his stellar play, one reason Bregman's decision to move to Chicago hurts so much is the budding relationship he had with the Red Sox's young core. He slipped so seamlessly into a mentor role for the team's glut of rookies and young contributors, and it just felt right that he'd be the veteran presence on an up-and-coming team for the foreseeable future.
Well, those dreams are now quashed. And just to rub a little more salt in the wound, Bregman offered some lofty praise for Team USA teammate Roman Anthony at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
“He’s going to be one of the best players in the game for a long time”
— MLB (@MLB) March 10, 2026
Alex Bregman with some high praise for his Team USA teammate, Roman Anthony! pic.twitter.com/H2AMFb0mnC
It would've been nice to see those two play together for, like, forever.
Alex Bregman, Roman Anthony's WBC partnership a painful reminder for Red Sox fans about lost opportunities
For what it's worth, Anthony is actually outpacing Bregman's production in the WBC. Through Team USA's four pool games, the young outfielder is hitting .333 with a 1.007 OPS. Meanwhile, the veteran third baseman has mustered just one hit in seven at-bats, though it was a bases-clearing double (he's also drawn five walks).
Bregman was at the center of some controversy for his country when much-maligned manager Mark DeRosa opted to bench him (and other veterans) in what could prove to be an elimination game against Team Italy. DeRosa believed the U.S. had already clinched its place in the quarterfinals, leading to a potentially catastrophic loss.
Besides that snafu, though, it's clear that both have enjoyed their time as teammates once again. It's just a shame that this may be the last time that's ever the case.
The good news is that nearly all of the Red Sox's contingent in the WBC is performing well. Jarren Duran (Mexico) and Masataka Yoshida (Japan) have been two of the best hitters in the tournament, while Nate Eaton (Great Britain, .895 OPS) and Brayan Bello (Dominican Republic, 1.80 ERA) are shining on the international stage.
For those that want to hide from any further exposure to Bregman this year, you're in luck: The Red Sox won't face the Chicago Cubs until the final series of the regular season, when the third baseman makes his return to Boston.