As many reporters and insiders around baseball theorized, Alex Bregman will be opting out of his contract with the Boston Red Sox and taking to the open market this offseason. The rumor was confirmed on October 14 by MLB insider Jon Heyman (subscription required).
The Red Sox signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal with opt outs after each of the first two seasons. The third baseman will leave two years and $80 million behind in Boston as he searches for a longer-term deal.
The Red Sox will definitely be among the list of Bregman's suitors in free agency, especially after they traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in the middle of the 2025 season. Heyman notes that a return to Boston would be a logical fit for Bregman, but there could be a few new teams in the race for his services. The Tigers, Mets and Giants have been floated as potential landing spots for Bregman, but there are other teams that could officially join the race when the postseason has ended.
During his time with the Red Sox, Bregman was vocal about his family's love for Boston, and Bregman himself embraced the city in multiple ways. Despite this, his return is not a guarantee — Red Sox insiders have questioned the team's commitment to the veteran and their willingness to go dollar-for-dollar with other interested clubs.
Bregman slashed .273/.360/.462 with an .822 OPS over 114 games with the Red Sox. He was one of their hottest bats in the first half, with a .298/.380/.546 slash line in 53 games before the All-Star break. Bregman also posted his usual elite defense, with three outs above average and 83rd-percentile range.
Alex Bregman officially opts out of his Red Sox contract to hit free agency
One of the reasons Boston could pivot to other options at third base is Bregman's down second half. The 31-year-old experienced a quad injury in May and didn't return until just before the All-Star Game. Following the break, he batted .250/.341/.386, making his durability a potential concern, especially for his expected asking price.
Bregman will still be the best all-around third baseman hitting free agency this year. Eugenio Suárez, Yoán Moncada, Kiké Hernández and Luís Urías are among the other options on the market. The Sox could also trade for someone to fill a potential Bregman vacancy, and they've been linked to Nolan Arenado multiple times (although he'd almost certainly be an offensive downgrade).
The Red Sox also have internal options they could use at the hot corner in the wake of Bregman's potential departure. Marcelo Mayer played some third base in his stead while he healed his quad injury, and he would be Boston's safest internal choice. The Red Sox also have David Hamilton, Kristian Campbell, Vaughn Grissom and top infield prospect Mikey Romero as potential options, although none of them are natural third basemen, and some of their defense is downright questionable.
Many reporters and insiders think a reunion between Bregman and the Sox is the most likely outcome after his opt out, and given Boston's backup options, it should work to make that a priority. Bregman brought leadership, gutsy offense and the best defense the Red Sox have had at the corner in years, and none of the other options on the free agent market offer the same skillset at the same level.