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Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman
When the Boston Red Sox signed third baseman Alex Bregman this past winter, they knew he might not stick around beyond the 2025 Major League Baseball season.
Bregman’s three-year, $120 million deal with Boston includes opt-outs after the 2025 and 2026 seasons. For the 31-year-old, he may seek a contract larger in size, especially after a great first year playing for the American League East club.
With Bregman posting such significant numbers on both sides of the ball, there’s a strong chance his pockets will reap the benefits, while Red Sox fans hope he loves Boston and his teammates so much that he decides to opt in for next year.
Bregman is a Perfect Fit in Boston’s Clubhouse
As an MLB veteran of 10 seasons, Bregman boasts numerous accolades on his baseball resume, including two World Series titles with the Houston Astros and three All-Star selections.
He seemingly fits perfectly with Boston’s core, which features several younger players on the roster, including rookies Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer.
“Bregman has taken over the Red Sox’s clubhouse and become their unquestioned leader: a baseball rat whose wisdom is exceeded by his willingness to help his teammates find the best versions of themselves,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote about the third baseman on Thursday. “It’s rare to find a player who has such a wide base of knowledge and the ability to teach it, too.”
Even missing over a month of the 2025 season with a right quad strain, Bregman owns a .281/.364/.485 slash line with 16 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a 133 OPS+ in 95 games. The Red Sox need his bat in the lineup after trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, but will he return next season? Passan is not banking on it.
“Because his deal included opt-outs after each of the first two seasons, Bregman could be playing elsewhere in 2026,” Passan wrote. “Barring an injury or catastrophic slump, he will opt out and join Tucker and Schwarber in a clear top tier among this winter’s free agents.”
Who Will Play Third Base for Red Sox if Bregman Departs?
Mayer played third base for the Red Sox when Bregman was out due to injury, but he could also slide to second base if Boston shows signs of acquiring a free agent third baseman during the offseason.
To make Bregman’s decision more interesting, the contract he signed with the Red Sox was likely not what he and his agent, Scott Boras, had hoped for.
“Complicating matters for the Red Sox, though, are the teams in need of better production at third that might be willing to spend for what Bregman provides,” Passan added. “The Phillies. The Yankees. The Tigers. And it will take more than three years this time, even though he’ll be going into his age-32 season. After one of the more lucrative pillow contracts ever, Bregman is bound to get the five-year-plus deal at an average annual value of $35 million-plus that eluded him last winter.”
It’s also entirely possible that Bregman opts out of his current contract with the Red Sox and negotiates a new deal for additional years and more money.
Conor Liguori is a sports journalist covering the MLB for Heavy Sports. Conor has covered professional baseball leagues like the KBO, NPB, CPBL, and the LBPRC in Puerto Rico. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University. More about Conor Liguori
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