Article: BREAKING: Red Sox Sign Alex Bregman to 3-Year Contract... With Opt-Outs

[Andrew Roberts]

On Wednesday night, Alex Bregman reached an agreement to join the Boston Red Sox. 

Earlier in the week, Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow said that his front office was working hard. He noted, "We are taking meaningful steps." 

After a long negotiation process, the Red Sox have signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract with opt-outs after the first and second years, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic.  

The deal reportedly included deferred money and was over $10 million higher in AAV than what other teams offered, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.   

 

Craig Breslow has expressed the need throughout the offseason for the Red Sox to add an impact right-handed bat. Bregman has been linked to the Sox throughout the offseason as a fit to fill this need, and it appears the deal is finally sealed. 

Over the first nine seasons of his career, Bregman has been a key part of an Astros team that won World Series titles in 2017 and 2022. He holds a career batting average of .272 and an OPS of .849. His best season coming in 2019 when he posted a .296/.423/.592 slash line with 41 home runs and 119 runs batted in. Last season was not quite to that level, but he was still an above average hitter (OPS+ of 118) and hit 26 home runs. 

It is currently unclear where Bregman will slot into this Red Sox infield. The Red Sox could consider moving third baseman Rafael Devers to designated hitter or first base to allow Bregman to remain at third base. However, Bregman has also stated that he is open to moving to second base, where the Red Sox were initially set to have a spring training positional battle between Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, and highly-regarded prospect Kristian Campbell among others. Nonetheless, he should make a big impact on the Red Sox lineup, giving them much-needed right-handed power that could be a strong match for the Green Monster. Bregman has historically played very well at Fenway Park, batting .375 with an OPS of 1.240 in 21 games at Fenway.

 

While the Red Sox will be paying Bregman $40 million per year, the short-term nature of the deal allows for flexibility once Campbell and fellow top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are ready to see everyday time in the majors. The opt-outs after each year also give Bregman the ability to test the market again sooner than the 2027-28 offseason if he believes he can land a better deal. The contract is very similar in nature to that of Bregman’s former teammate Carlos Correa, who the Twins initially signed to a three-year, $105 million deal with opt-outs after each season. As expected, Correa opted out after the first season before landing a six-year, $200 million deal to return to the Twins the next offseason. Correa and Bregman are both represented by the Boras Corporation. 

Bregman was extended a qualifying offer by the Astros, meaning the Red Sox will be giving up a draft pick to sign him. However, the Red Sox will also gain a pick back as they extended a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, who reportedly agreed to sign a four-year deal with the Padres earlier tonight.

We will have more on this signing in the coming days. Alex Bregman has the ability to answer a lot of questions for a team, but in terms of roster makeup and positional flexibility, there may be other questions as well. Breslow and manager Alex Cora can start answering some of those questions on Thursday. 

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[moonslav59]

WOW!

I mentioned opt-outs and was bashed for it, but I'm not taking credit for predicting this.

I'm shocked.

I hope there will be no Casas trade, unless they know something about his injury.

We need Tristan's bat, even vs LHPs.

This really takes some heat of Henry.

[moonslav59]

Sox lose a comp pick, but we get one for Pivetta.

To be honest, this is not "the guy" I would have chosen to blow away the highest AAV in team history, but he turns us into a playoff favorite and legit contender for the AL crown.

Please, please, please- do NOT play him at 2B!

[Hugh2]

2 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Sox lose a comp pick, but we get one for Pivetta.

To be honest, this is not "the guy" I would have chosen to blow away the highest AAV in team history, but he turns us into a playoff favorite and legit contender for the AL crown.

Please, please, please- do NOT play him at 2B!

We lose the #54 overall pick.  But the Pivetta signing should net us something around 77

 

we also forfeit 500k of IFA for 2026

[a700hitter]

I would have preferred Pete Alonso for 2 years /$54 million.  $40 million/year is an absurd amount for a guy that was the 4 th best hitter on his team.

[Hitch]

1 hour ago, a700hitter said:

I would have preferred Pete Alonso for 2 years /$54 million.  $40 million/year is an absurd amount for a guy that was the 4 th best hitter on his team.

My thoughts exactly. It might be that Alonso only wanted the Mets, but $40m a year for Bregman is 🤯

[Hitch]

The Red Sox were adamant about a shorter deal in hopes of keeping the door open in the infield for top prospects Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer, ranked No. 9 and No. 28 in baseball by The Athletic’s Keith Law.

Not only does the three-year deal do that, but the opt-outs also could make the path clearer for both players in the long term.

Jen Mcaffrey.

 

I'm not sure how having your SS and 2B on 3 year ccontracts gives a clear path to your prospects. 

Please make this make sense and put him at 3rd. I wonder if they feel confident they can move Yoshida.

 

[mvp 78]

3 years is great. We’ll see about the opt outs. If he leaves after this year… well… bye…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Red Sox fans rejoice today. Whether you dislike Bregman or the overpay, you have to like Boston adding another good player to the roster. The other AL East contenders certainly don't.

The Sox will be a better team with Bregman on the field. Don't worry about his position, or how the super prospects will fit in (management will do the right thing). Also, keep in mind that half a dozen guys will tweak something before they leave Florida by the end of March.

And don't fret about losing a draft pick. Is it just coincidence this trade was announced after Pivetta signed with San Diego, assuring the Sox of getting a draft pick back?

Finally, don't worry about the opt outs; it's not like there are a bunch of clubs anxious to pay Alex $41 million next year when he's 32, or the year after when he's 33.  

[oldtimer]

7 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

WOW!

I mentioned opt-outs and was bashed for it, but I'm not taking credit for predicting this.

I'm shocked.

I hope there will be no Casas trade, unless they know something about his injury.

We need Tristan's bat, even vs LHPs.

This really takes some heat of Henry.

I didn't expect this to happen but there it is. Now we will see what other ramifications are involved. Does this hold Campbell  out of the lineup? Right now things are up in  the air but clearly we aren't paying Bregman to be a utility player. It;s 3rd or 2nd.

[moonslav59]

5 hours ago, Hitch said:

My thoughts exactly. It might be that Alonso only wanted the Mets, but $40m a year for Bregman is 🤯

We already have 2 of our best hitters that should DH or play 1B.

[moonslav59]

So, now we know, JH will spend, at times.

My guess is the deferred money keeps us under the tax line, and any extensions will start after opening day.

[Hitch]

4 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We already have 2 of our best hitters that should DH or play 1B.

If Bregman is playing 2B, Devers is not DHing. Adding Alonso would have not changed anything, but giving us significant more power. 

Unless we see Bregman at 3rd, where, you know, he just won a GG, then I'm happy. 

[moonslav59]

16 minutes ago, Hitch said:

If Bregman is playing 2B, Devers is not DHing. Adding Alonso would have not changed anything, but giving us significant more power. 

Unless we see Bregman at 3rd, where, you know, he just won a GG, then I'm happy. 

Indeed. I'm thinking the idea is Bregman will end up at 3B, even if he does not start the season there, but with the opt-outs, maybe not.

To me, this deal was already iffy, even with Bregman at 3B, but the short term made it fine. With Bregman at 2B, he's blocking Campbell (who could play RF) and Mayer, while keeping our corner IF defense the worst in MLB, by far- for no reason but to keep Devers from possibly pouting.

[sk7326]

8 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Sox lose a comp pick, but we get one for Pivetta.

To be honest, this is not "the guy" I would have chosen to blow away the highest AAV in team history, but he turns us into a playoff favorite and legit contender for the AL crown.

Please, please, please- do NOT play him at 2B!

Sounds like 2B is the plan for now ... but I imagine that stuff can change.  And I am okay with them not giving Campbell the gig out of camp right now.  I expect Bregman gets to 3B sooner than later.  

[mvp 78]

34 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

So, now we know, JH will spend, at times.

My guess is the deferred money keeps us under the tax line, and any extensions will start after opening day.

They are over the first CBT. https://soxprospects.com/payroll.htm

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, sk7326 said:

Sounds like 2B is the plan for now ... but I imagine that stuff can change.  And I am okay with them not giving Campbell the gig out of camp right now.  I expect Bregman gets to 3B sooner than later.  

It's a terrible plan, but at least it's a short term one. I'd still rather they move Devers off 3B, install Bregman there and add Campbell at 2B. If Story goes down, you can call up Mayer. 

[Hugh2]

Bregman FWar the last 3 years has averaged 4.66.

If players are getting around $7.5 million per in free agency and Bregman were to average that in Boston he would be worth about $105 million dollars. 

If Bregman is not worth that, it's because he has fallen off a cliff.  If he falls off a cliff, imagine being on the hook to pay him $170 million+ over the next 6 years? That would be worse. 

The $5 million a year overpay, is not as extreme as people are making it out to be, and it's a more than fair premium to have the player on only 3 years and pay him until 33 years old without having to carry him at 34, 35, 36. 

 

[Hugh2]

2 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

It's a terrible plan, but at least it's a short term one. I'd still rather they move Devers off 3B, install Bregman there and add Campbell at 2B. If Story goes down, you can call up Mayer. 

If Devers looks horrible at 3B this year, I wonder how long they sit around and let him clog up the infield while Bregman is picking it up the middle. 

Of course, if Devers looks even just ok, one has to wonder what the Sox thoughts are on the position if Bregman opts out after this year.  Sure, they have options at 2nd so maybe they move Campbell there, but maybe they view him as their LF???

[mvp 78]

2 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

Bregman FWar the last 3 years has averaged 4.66.

If players are getting around $7.5 million per in free agency and Bregman were to average that in Boston he would be worth about $105 million dollars. 

If Bregman is not worth that, it's because he has fallen off a cliff.  If he falls off a cliff, imagine being on the hook to pay him $170 million+ over the next 6 years? That would be worse. 

The $5 million a year overpay, is not as extreme as people are making it out to be, and it's a more than fair premium to have the player on only 3 years and pay him until 33 years old without having to carry him at 34, 35, 36. 

 

I'm not a huge Bregman guy, but I'm not shocked by the sticker price. It's fine. There are opt outs and it's short term. 

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Hugh2 said:

If Devers looks horrible at 3B this year, I wonder how long they sit around and let him clog up the infield while Bregman is picking it up the middle. 

Of course, if Devers looks even just ok, one has to wonder what the Sox thoughts are on the position if Bregman opts out after this year.  Sure, they have options at 2nd so maybe they move Campbell there, but maybe they view him as their LF???

We already know he'll have a really gad stretch at some point. Pulling him off position midseason will only create unnecessary drama IMO. Just pull the bandaid now.

[Hugh2]

39 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

So, now we know, JH will spend, at times.

My guess is the deferred money keeps us under the tax line, and any extensions will start after opening day.

 Without doing any actual math I'd guess that somewhere around 75% of his contract would have to deferred for them to be under the CBT.   They're going over.  

[Hugh2]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

I'm not a huge Bregman guy, but I'm not shocked by the sticker price. It's fine. There are opt outs and it's short term. 

I'm not going to say that I'm not a little shocked myself.  But like you said it's fine, really looking at the numbers it seems reasonable to forgoes those painful 34+ seasons. 

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

Red Sox fans rejoice today. Whether you dislike Bregman or the overpay, you have to like Boston adding another good player to the roster. The other AL East contenders certainly don't.

The Sox will be a better team with Bregman on the field. Don't worry about his position, or how the super prospects will fit in (management will do the right thing). Also, keep in mind that half a dozen guys will tweak something before they leave Florida by the end of March.

And don't fret about losing a draft pick. Is it just coincidence this trade was announced after Pivetta signed with San Diego, assuring the Sox of getting a draft pick back?

Finally, don't worry about the opt outs; it's not like there are a bunch of clubs anxious to pay Alex $41 million next year when he's 32, or the year after when he's 33.  

It's great news for Sox fans.  Kennedy's words about paying tax and chasing 90 wins have been validated.

[mvp 78]

Just now, Bellhorn04 said:

It's great news for Sox fans.  KennedyI''s words about paying tax and chasing 90 wins have been validated.

If they don't win a WC birth this season, it's a clear failure now. 

[mvp 78]

4 minutes ago, Hugh2 said:

I'm not going to say that I'm not a little shocked myself.  But like you said it's fine, really looking at the numbers it seems reasonable to forgoes those painful 34+ seasons. 

All along I've held onto "3 years, 3B only" for Bregman. I'm going to have to hold my nose on him at 2B. 

[Bellhorn04]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

If they don't win a WC birth this season, it's a clear failure now. 

True, but I'm feeling pretty Polly about the playoffs this morning. 

[mvp 78]

Just now, Bellhorn04 said:

True, but I'm feeling pretty Polly about the playoffs this morning. 

A playoff run? 

[Bellhorn04]

1 minute ago, mvp 78 said:

A playoff run? 

Yeah, time to dream big again.  

 

[Hugh2]

People who aren't happy because they think it's an overpay.  What wouldn't have been any overpay? what was FMV for Bregman?