Longtime Houston Astros star Alex Bregman remains the top free agent on the board despite holding multiple offers.
Both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs jumped into the mix with four-year deals after the Astros failed to entice the two-time All-Star with a six-year, $156 million deal. “Sources have confirmed that the Cubs have offered Alex Bregman a four-year contract, with opt-outs, worth north of $100 million,” Jacob Zanolla of RealCubsInsider reported.
Chicago’s offer came after the Astros reportedly decided not to improve their six-year, $156 million offer. The Astros, though, appear to have had a change of heart.
Jon Heyman of The New York Post claimed, “… word is they’ve come up from their reported $156M, six-year offer from November.
Despite the new offer, Bregman doesn’t appear to be interested. In a new column this week, ESPN’s Buster Olney listed the three teams likely to land Bregman – and Houston isn’t one of them.
“Alex Bregman, who is likely to land with the Red Sox, Cubs or Tigers soon; sources in the Astros organization are skeptical he’ll return to Houston. If he goes to Fenway Park, he could pepper the Green Monster while relearning the nuances of playing in the middle infield,” Olney said.
“If he goes to Chicago — likely on a short-term, Cody Bellinger-type deal — he will have pressure to produce. And if he signs with the Tigers, it would be Detroit’s de facto announcement that with Tarik Skubal two years from free agency, the team’s window to win is now, and the expensive signing of Bregman would be an all-in move.”
During the 2024 season, Bregman posted a .768 OPS in 145 games while batting .260 with 26 home runs — the third most in his career — and 75 RBIs.