BOSTON — Adding starters Garret Crochett and Walker Buehler to the rotation made it a productive offseason for the Boston Red Sox. But with Spring Training set to begin next week, did the Craig Breslow and the Red Sox do enough?
WBZ-TV’s Dan Roche doesn’t think so, but that could change with one move: Signing free-agent Alex Bregman.
Bregman is reportedly willing to move from third to second base for Boston, and would be the right-handed bat the Red Sox desperately need in the lineup. But with teams set to report for Spring Training next week, the two-time World Series champ and Gold Glover for the Houston Astros remains unsigned.
There have been rumblings about Bregman and the Red Sox all offseason, though it was recently reported that Boston wasn’t willing to give him a contract any longer than four years. Bregman and his agent, Scott Boras, have reportedly been seeking at least a six-year pact this winter.
With the Red Sox, Astros, and Detroit Tigers unwilling to budge, Bregman remains unsigned. But Roche has a simple solution that should get Bregman to Boston.
What the Red Sox should do to sign Alex Bregman
It’s understandable why the Red Sox don’t want to commit to Bregman for six years at a high salary. He’ll turn 31 shortly after the season begins, and Kristian Campbell is likely the team’s future at second base. Rafael Devers may eventually move off the hot corner, but for now, third base belongs to Devers — who is signed through the 2033 season.
If the Red Sox are only interested in having Bregman for a few years, Roche believes there’s a way to convince him to take their offer: Go above and beyond (translation: overpay) with his annual salary. They’ll be paying a big price tag up front, but the Red Sox would also hang on to some flexibility down the road.
“If [Bregman and Boras are] looking for and have been offered a six-year with an average annual value of $26 million, go three years and $100 million. Go way above what that AAV was going to be on a six-year deal and give him an opt-out after one or two years,” Roche said during a Red Sox preview segment with CBS News Boston’s Joe Weil. “Make it a Scott Boras win.
“[Offer him] a shorter-term, [player]-friendly deal. Make it for [Bregman] and get that deal done,” said Roche. “That would set this team up to be a playoff team through and through.”
What would Alex Bregman bring to the Red Sox?
Bregman would give the team a much-needed right-handed bat for the heart of the order. Trevor Story, Ceddanne Rafeala, and Connor Wong are the only everyday righties in the Boston lineup at the moment, and it’s no guarantee that the Red Sox will get a full season from Story.
How badly do the Red Sox need a right-handed bat? Among the 30 MLB teams, Boston had the third-fewest plate appearances by right-handed hitters in 2024. Fenway Park is built for pull righties like Bregman, who has slashed .375/.490/.750 over 21 career games at the home of the Red Sox.
“If you can pull the ball you can have a ton of success [at Fenway Park] with doubles. A guy like Bregman would be perfect for that,” said Roche. “And you need to balance it out when you face rotations, specialists, relievers in the AL East.”
But Bregman would be so much more than just a right-handed bat for Boston. Coming to the Red Sox would reunite him with manager Alex Cora (the two won a World Series in Houston in 2017) and the team could use an experienced veteran like Bregman for the clubhouse.
“He can bring clubhouse stability, he can bring what it takes to win and what it takes to play every day. He can go hand-in-hand with Alex Cora and show the young players this is how you do it,” said Roche. “He has everything this team needs, so go make it happen if you’re Craig Breslow.
“This is such a no-brainer, this one transaction. If they can get them to do that short-term deal — get that done and everything changes around this team,” added Roche.
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