MLB free agency has felt like a broken record this winter-big names on the board, teams circling, and a whole lot of waiting. With spring training inching closer, we’re still looking at a market that’s more stalled than sizzling.
While relievers and power bats got scooped up early-nearly $300 million spent on bullpen arms before Christmas-the pace since then has slowed to a crawl. Big-market teams have hit pause.
Trades have taken the spotlight. And across front offices, patience has replaced urgency.
That brings us to Alex Bregman, one of the biggest names still in play. The All-Star third baseman is drawing serious interest, and while the list of suitors has narrowed, the race is far from over.
The Chicago Cubs remain in the mix, pursuing Bregman for the second straight offseason. They’re not alone.
The Boston Red Sox are still considered the frontrunner, but the Toronto Blue Jays are lurking-and they haven’t gone away quietly.
It’s a fascinating standoff. The Red Sox are juggling multiple possibilities, including a potential move for Isaac Paredes.
But the Bregman sweepstakes have become more complicated than expected. Toronto’s offseason moves, including the addition of Kazuma Okamoto, didn’t close the door on Bregman-they left it cracked open.
The Jays are still evaluating how another big bat might fit into their lineup. It wouldn’t derail their plans, but it would certainly reshape their roster.
Meanwhile, the Cubs are waiting. So is Bregman.
And timing is everything. Arbitration week tends to put a freeze on big-ticket signings, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing now.
Teams are working through their internal priorities, trying to balance budgets, and in some cases, waiting on trade dominoes to fall-like Arizona, which is effectively sidelined unless they move Ketel Marte.
For Boston, the pressure is real. They’ve been in the driver’s seat, but Toronto’s presence keeps them from getting too comfortable.
Chicago’s persistence adds another wrinkle. And with the Mets and Yankees focused elsewhere-namely Cody Bellinger-the Bregman chase has quietly become one of the most intriguing storylines of this offseason.
So here we are: less than seven weeks from pitchers and catchers reporting, and one of the league’s premier infielders is still unsigned. The market’s slow, but the stakes are high.
Teams are playing the long game, but eventually, someone’s going to make a move. And when they do, it could shift the balance of power in the American League.
