After one year in Boston, Alex Bregman triggered an opt-out clause in his contract to hit the free agent market once again. The hope for all Red Sox fans is that he will resign on a long-term deal. It isn't a certainty, though, and without the qualifying offer attached to him, his market projects to be more robust this offseason.
Should he sign elsewhere, the Red Sox will need to pivot. While Bregman highlights this year's class of free agent third basemen, the high-end options are few. The only other primary third baseman with more than 2.0 fWAR over the last two seasons available is Eugenio Suarez. That may prompt them to look at positions other than the hot corner to fill their need.
Bo Bichette is a free agent for the first time in his career. He has been the Blue Jays primary shortstop since 2021, but has also been one of the worst defenders there his entire career. According to MLB insider Jon. Morosi, teams around the league are interested in signing Bichette and moving him to either second or third base. Rob Bradford of WEEI reports that the Red Sox have expressed interest in signing the longtime division rival.
Could the Red Sox turn to a former division rival for an Alex Bregman replacement
The Red Sox are showing interest in Bo Bichette, per @bradfo.
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) November 18, 2025
Stock has to be through the roof after that WS appearance and he’s only entering his age-28 season. pic.twitter.com/bL6tNB0sLz
Bichette is one of the best pure bats available this winter. He has a career .294 average and has over 175 hits in four of the last five seasons. An injury-riddled 2024 hurt his value, but a bounce-back 2025 will make him one of the most coveted bats on the market this winter. The 27-year-old is going to garner a large massive contract, but if Bregman leaves, the Sox will have money to spend.
Bichette would fill a lot of needs for the Sox. As a right-handed hitter, Bichette could easily slide right into Bregman's spot in the lineup. While he isn't known for his pop, in his three fully healthy seasons, he's had over 20 homers. The Hall-of-Famer's son also has a career .907 OPS in 35 games at Fenway Park.
Can confirm Bo Bichette has received interest from multiple teams who view him as a second baseman or third baseman, due to the presence of an established shortstop on those rosters.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 11, 2025
Further evidence that the World Series augmented his value in the marketplace.@MLBNetwork
Bichette's defense certainly raises some questions. He only had 36th percentile arm strength last season, placing some doubt on his ability at the hot corner. One solution for Boston could be to play him at second base, where he looked good in the World Series, and move Marcelo Mayer to third for the time being.
The 27-year-old wouldn't be a perfect replacement for Bregman, but he would certainly suffice. His bat would be close to a seamless fit, with the only questions surrounding his defense. Boston will need to be creative if Bregman leaves, and stealing a division rival's top player would be a good way to do that.