Alex Bregman Should Get an Extension that Keeps Him in Boston Until He Retires

On Tuesday, June 24, the Boston Globe reported that Alex Bregman is open to discussing a contract extension as the first opt-out of his current contract draws near. That’s huge news considering he was the marquee free agent addition going into the 2025 season. There has been speculation ever since his contract was announced that he would opt out if he had the season that many thought he would have in Boston.

He’s still on the shelf with a quad injury, but he was exceeding expectations before he landed on the injured list. As of his last at-bat, he was slashing .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs and a .938 OPS. He’s viewed as a leader both on the field and in the clubhouse and plays an excellent third base. Bregman offers everything you could want in a teammate, and it’s obvious that he’s well liked by his peers and coaches.

On Thursday morning, President of Baseball Operations Craig Breslow went on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show and had this to say regarding the news of a possible extension.

“The specifics of the conversations and the timing of the conversations will remain internal,” Breslow said. “But what I’m very comfortable saying is Alex has been everything we could have asked for both on the field — unfortunately, he’s obviously been hurt and hasn’t been able to impact games on the field — but also in the clubhouse from a leadership standpoint. Not just in the way he’s helped younger players and our staff, but in the ways that he’s helped me and many of us in the front office. And so right now, while we’re focused on doing everything we can to get him back on the field as quickly as possible, when the right time comes to have those conversations, I'm very, very confident that we will."

That sounds like the team is interested in keeping Bregman around for quite a while. While that shouldn’t come as a surprise with the success that Bregman has had in Boston, it’s refreshing to hear that the person in charge of making these decisions is looking forward to having extension talks with the Gold Glove third baseman. After the much-discussed trade of Rafael Devers, the front office has more than enough money on hand to offer Bregman an extension that he won’t be able to so no to. They’d be foolish to let him walk in the offseason, and the best path forward includes him calling Fenway Park home forever. The Red Sox should extend Alex Bregman and keep him in Boston until he retires. 

Bregman’s swing was made for Fenway. He peppers the Green Monster with hard hit balls and sends them both screaming over the wall and into the gaps. Even on the road, he’s an electric hitter that can carry an offense on a down day. Defensively, he’s had a few miscues during his time in Boston so far, but he was settling in when his injury occurred. He has five errors on the season, but he’s already turned 14 double plays. He’s sure-footed on defense and makes heads up plays more often than not. That’s huge, and keeping him on the left side of the infield with Marcelo Mayer for the next few seasons would do nothing but push Mayer to be the best baseball player he could be.

We all know that Bregman is getting older, so his bat and glove won’t play at an elite level for the rest of his career, but that’s okay. As Bregman ages, his leadership becomes his main contribution to the team. If you’ve been on social media after games, you’ll see reports of him working with Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony in the clubhouse. He’s visible on the top step of the dugout during every game, often discussing with teammates and coaches about what is happening on the field. He has the championship pedigree to be taken seriously by anyone who hears him speak, but he’s also approachable enough that when the rookies are struggling, they feel comfortable going to him for help. As the Red Sox graduate more rookies from the farm system. Bregman is going to be one of the first people on the team that these players flock to so they can learn exactly what it takes to be a big leaguer, specifically one in Boston. 

Since Alex Bregman is willing to listen to extension offers from the Red Sox, the front office needs to work quickly to get him secured to a long-term deal that allows him to finish his career here in Boston. He has the profile that is made for this ballpark and his leadership skills cannot be replaced easily. The young core has already started to go to him for advice, and the entire fanbase already views him as a leader. Keeping him around until the end of his career — and making him an institution Boston — is the right call for a front office that needs a win right now.