Red Sox Send Clear Message to Alex Bregman on Free Agency

(Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

Alex Bregman #2 of the Boston Red Sox runs during game two of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 1, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

It is only words, and when it comes to the business of sports and free agency, words count significantly less than two other pretty important factors: years and dollars. Ultimately, those will be the two elements that determine whether the Red Sox keep third baseman Alex Bregman after a standout season that saw a roster overhaul and still ended in a playoff appearance.

Bregman had a quad injury in May that limited him to 114 games in 2025, but still hit .273 with 18 homers, 62 RBIs and a .821 OPS. He struggled some after the injury, but his OPS was still his best since 2019. It helped, too, that Bregman played Gold Glove-caliber defense and was a critical veteran guiding the wave of young and inexperienced new players the team brought up from the minors throughout the year.

But now comes the moment of truth. Bregman will opt out of the three-year, $120 million contract he signed last spring, a deal set up with options that almost made it certain he’d go back into free agency. The Red Sox will need to pony up to keep him–and if their words count for anything, they sent a message that they want Bregman back.

Alex Bregman Will ‘Do What’s Best for His Family’

This week, addressing the media after Boston was eliminated from the playoffs, Red Sox brass said the right things about keeping the star in place.

Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was measured in his statement, but said, “Obviously, Alex has the right, as structured in his contract, to opt out. He’s going to do what’s best for his family.

“At the same time, I will not miss an opportunity to talk about his contributions on the field, in the clubhouse, to the coaching staff, to the front office, in every conversation we’ve had, I learned something. His influence and impact has rubbed off on his teammates and by all accounts, he has loved his time in Boston as well.”

It would be significant, of course, for the Red Sox to keep Bregman. How significant?

“We’ll let that play out,” Breslow said. “The significance would be having a great player, a proven winner, a strong defender, someone who fits this park really well on our roster.”

Red Sox Not Sure Where Alex Bregman, Trevor Story Are Leaning on Options

Breslow was asked if he or the Red Sox in general have an inkling on which way Bregman–or shortstop Trevor Story–might go on his option. Story also has an option but with three years and $75 million on his contract, he probably (but not definitely) will not exercise his option.

“I have not had the chance to draw conclusions about those things,” Breslow said. “Those are decisions for them to make. At this time, I think everyone will say they were focused on trying to do everything they could to advance in the postseason.”

Red Sox Knew Star Was Not 100%

It was pointed out that Bregman struggled as the season wore on, and that could be a factor when deciding how much and how long to give him on a new contract–he will be 31, after all. Bregman batter .298 with a .927 OPS in the first half of the season, and .250 with a .727 in the second half.

Breslow pointed out that Bregman was not fully healthy.

“I think Alex did everything he could to get back on the field as soon as possible, including playing before he was 100%,” Breslow said. “And that deserves a ton of appreciation because he knew what was at stake and he knew his role on the team. We’re a better team with Alex at 80% of his sprint speed than we are without him at all.”

Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney