MLB Rumors: What ‘Worried’ Red Sox Most In Alex Bregman Sweepstakes

Alex Bregman lingered in MLB free agency for over three months, but that wasn’t due to a lack of interest in the star infielder.

The Red Sox were one of several teams interested in Bregman, one of the best position players available on the open market this offseason. In fact, one day before the two-time World Series champion reportedly agreed to join Boston, four other teams were rumored to be “still in” on Bregman.

The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey detailed the Red Sox’s competition in a column published Sunday, one day after Bregman finalized his contract in Boston. The report included a note on how the Red Sox viewed the landscape in the Bregman sweepstakes.

“While the Red Sox felt good about their approach, there was still significant uncertainty in the weeks and days leading up to Bregman’s signing,” McCaffery wrote. “The free agent weighed offers from the Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays and the Cubs. Internally, the Cubs’ aggressiveness worried the Red Sox the most. Meanwhile, sources told The Athletic’s Rosenthal the Tigers offered Bregman a six-year, $171.5 million contract, well above Boston’s offer.”

The Cubs reportedly offered Bregman one more year than the Red Sox but the same money, resulting in a significantly lower average annual value. And while Chicago previously made some nice offseason additions, Bregman clearly felt his best chance to win both now and in the future was in Boston.