Boston Red Sox Miss Out on Alex Bregman

The Red Sox seemingly lost a high-stakes negotiation over star third baseman Alex Bregman, according to AJ Pierzynski, a former Boston catcher. He mentioned on his show “Foul Territory” that Bregman was frustrated with the team’s hardball tactics, which allegedly “pissed” him off during the negotiations.

Reportedly, Bregman inked a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs, while Boston’s offer was five years for $165 million. It’s unclear how a difference of just $10 million played into such a publicized departure.

Bregman expressed his dissatisfaction with the Red Sox when they didn’t match his market value after their first proposal. Pierzynski highlighted how Boston’s management didn’t take seriously Bregman’s camp’s insistence that there was a better offer on the table. “The Red Sox literally stood still, didn’t budge, and didn’t really try to negotiate until it was too late,” Pierzynski said.

Last offseason, Boston had signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million contract, which allowed him to opt out after posting a solid season with an .821 OPS. Pierzynski remarked that while Boston made an initial offer, Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, had countered by indicating that the infielder’s market value actually exceeded that. This reportedly didn’t sit well with the Red Sox.

According to Pierzynski, Bregman felt slighted by the Red Sox’s reluctance to engage in negotiations. Eventually, after the revelation of the Cubs’ offer, Boston upped its bid to match $165 million over five years, but by then, it was “significantly” too late.

Bregman ultimately chose the larger contract with Chicago, averaging $35 million per year. Pierzynski iterated that the longer the talks dragged on, the more it influenced Bregman’s decision. “So Bregman was like, ‘I’m going to the Cubs because I can make more money in a short period of time,’” he stated.

Now with Bregman gone, the Red Sox find themselves possibly one key player short during an offseason filled with uncertainty for the franchise. They had initially aimed to bolster their pitching rotation alongside Garrett Crochet but opted for veterans like Sonny Gray and up-and-coming former Pirates starter Johan Oviedo instead. They also secured Willson Contreras as a first baseman, but losing Bregman complicates their overall strategy.

While some might argue that Boston is still a strong team, the pressing question remains: how much have they truly improved? The Blue Jays, for example, have visibly upgraded since clinching the AL East and advancing to Game 7 of the World Series. Meanwhile, the Orioles are working hard on their roster, and the Yankees appear to be facing challenges, particularly regarding potential replacements for Cody Bellinger.