Who is the Boston Red Sox’s biggest threat to re-sign Alex Bregman?

If you have been following along with the Red Sox this offseason so far, you’ve likely heard a lot about Bregman. He’s expected to opt out of his contract with Boston and enter free agency. The Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs consistently have been rumored as potential teams that could pursue Alex Bregman after doing so last year.

CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson had another suggestion for a team that could be among the “potential suitors” for Bregman: the New York Mets.

“No. 2. 3B Alex Bregman: Potential suitors: Red Sox, Tigers, Mets,” Anderson said. “Bregman, one of the last notable free agents to sign last winter, showed no ill effects of being left in the cold. He kept alive his streak of having never finished worse than 15 percent above the league-average hitter, and for the first time in his career, he joined the 90-90 club — that is, a 90 percent in-zone contact rate and a 90 mph average exit velocity.

“Bregman can still pick it at third base, too. It’s fair to wonder how his pull-happy slugging would play in a less favorable home offensive environment than the ones he’s haunted to date, but he’s a good player who ought to land a better contract than three years and $120 million this go around.”

Aug 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; A New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

For all of the talk about Bregman’s potential suitors, it seems to be forgotten that the Red Sox did already win the sweepstakes for him once. Boston was in the mix for Bregman last year with the Tigers and Cubs, and he already chose the Red Sox once. One thing that has been said about Bregman is that he’s looking to win now. Boston won 89 games with him in 2025, made it back to the playoffs, and has one of the brightest young cores in baseball. Plus, the Red Sox clearly loved him and have money to spend.

Detroit won 87 games and there have already been rumors about the possibility of trading Tarik Skubal. The Cubs won 92 games and could lose Kyle Tucker this offseason in free agency. Arguably, the Red Sox are a better fit than both of those teams. But, the Mets are an intriguing team to watch. New York just handed Juan Soto a $765 million contract last year and still has more money than anyone else. The Mets had a historic collapse down the stretch and with all of the money tied to the organization, you’d think they could be a bit desperate this offseason.

Pitching is the Mets’ biggest issue, but with Pete Alonso’s future up in the air, there’s a real chance that the Mets could be on the lookout for some pop for the infield this winter. If Alonso walks, Mark Vientos would then be an easy candidate to move to first base. Vientos and Brett Baty played a lot of third base in 2025, but Bregman would obviously be a better option, especially if the Mets need a veteran in the case of Alonso leaving.

To sum up, the Mets have more money than anyone and therefore could make some wild contract offers. New York is also coming off a disappointing 2025 campaign and realistically could have a need in the infield depending on what happens with Alonso. Unfortunately, the Mets are a good suggestion from Anderson and will be worth watching this offseason.

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