At this point, I’m obsessing about what is going to happen with Alex Bregman less because I think there’s more than a 5% chance he winds up with the Cubs, and more because whatever happens with him is so intertwined with whatever else the Cubs might do (mostly from a financial perspective, but also potentially from a positional perspective).
I don’t know for sure that Bregman will be the first domino to fall in this final series of moves, but I do know that the Cubs probably aren’t going to commit their remaining dollars elsewhere until and unless they know they definitely aren’t going to be able to land Bregman on a sweetheart deal.
The latest on Alex Bregman’s free agency, according to what Matt Spiegel is hearing:
Spiegs is hearing that Alex Bregman isn't all that interested in signing with the Tigers or Blue Jays.
Spiegs also believes there's a split opinion in the front offices of the Cubs and Red Sox about whether to sign Bregman.
Listen to full segment: https://t.co/tTWJtpdR1E pic.twitter.com/bElZTOFYeB— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) February 3, 2025
The Cubs and Red Sox are reportedly drawing “lines in the sand” on Bregman, according to Spiegel, but he isn’t all that interested in going to the Tigers or Blue Jays (who may be offering more). It kind of sounds like not everyone in each of the Cubs’ and Red Sox’s front office are on the same page on just how aggressive to be about locking up Bregman’s ages 31+ seasons.
It’s not hard to imagine a world where Bregman has a preference list that goes Astros, Cubs, Red Sox, but (1) the Astros have maybe backed off significantly at this point, (2) the Cubs will only do short-term, and (3) the Red Sox aren’t quite at a price point where Bregman will pull the trigger. Combine that possibly with the Tigers and/or Blue Jays offering the most, and you would have a recipe for a guy kinda still holding out for something to shake loose.
My gut says he’s just hoping that the Astros do whatever he and Boras are looking for to close that particular deal. We don’t know if that earlier-reported six-year, $156 million offer is still on the table from the Astros, but if it is, I still think that’d be his right call, especially if he prefers to just go back to the Astros. Maybe that offer isn’t there anymore, which is further complicating things.
Speaking of all this stuff, just to confirm: all the reporting has the Tigers still in on Bregman even after spending on Jack Flaherty.
So we continue to wait. Spring Training starts next week, and although position players tend not to need the full month and a half to ramp up, there are loads of reasons you want a guy in camp – with a new org – as early as possible.