The Boston Red Sox spent last winter tangled in a long and winding free agent pursuit of Alex Bregman. They could be primed for more of the same this winter, but many recent Red Sox rumors have sowed doubt around a potential Bregman reunion.
Conflicting rumors and reports have emerged about Boston's offseason plans. Many insiders have shared that they expect the Red Sox to be one of the most active teams this winter, given their clear needs in the aftermath of the Rafael Devers trade. The front office has promised big moves, but yet another report that it plans to limit its spending has caused Sox fans to question the rumors again.
Not only are the Red Sox planning to keep their spending below the second luxury tax threshold, Bregman has been linked to multiple other teams, including some of the same big players as last year. The fear that Boston won't meet his asking price, coupled with interest from other teams, are key drivers behind fears that Bregman won't don a Red Sox uniform next year.
MLB insider Jim Bowden's latest free agent report has given Red Sox Nation a bit more confidence that Bregman will return. The third baseman seeks a team with which he can play out the remainder of his career, and according to Bowden, he'd "love" that team to be the Sox (subscription required).
MLB insider Jim Bowden reports that Alex Bregman would 'love' to return to the Red Sox
Bowden made note of the uncertainty around Boston's spending plans, and said he's unsure if it will give Bregman the long-term contract he's hoping for. He sought a five-to-six year deal in the $200 million range last offseason, so he could ask for something similar this time around. Bregman did experience an injury that affected him for most of the second half of last season and he'll be another year older, so his asking price and desired contract length could come down a tick, but probably not much, given his World Series winning pedigree.
The news that Bregman hopes to reunite with Boston is great, even if it hopes to limit its spending. The Red Sox are in a good place to win for the long term with many of their young stars, including Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and Brayan Bello, under contract for the next five or six years, which is precisely the amount of time Bregman seeks for his next deal. The veteran fit in so well in Boston's clubhouse that he could take a lesser contract to stick around.
The Red Sox shouldn't bank on that, though. Bregman is the best third baseman on the free agent market, and he's represented by Scott Boras, who is notorious for securing megadeals for his clients.
Boston needs Bregman back to make the Devers trade worth it and as a start to fielding a better offense than last year — just signing Bregman would give it the same offense, and passing over Bregman to sign someone else makes third base unstable. Bregman wants to come back to the Red Sox, and they should do whatever it takes to sign him for the rest of his career on the right deal.