Why Ex-Red Sox Was ‘Surprised’ By Reported Alex Bregman Deal

Wednesday was a pretty significant day for the Red Sox organization.

The day kicked off with Boston pitchers and catchers officially reporting for spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., but the main event didn’t arrive until later in the evening. As the East Coast approached the midnight hour, news broke that the Red Sox and Alex Bregman reportedly agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract.

The blockbuster news sparked a wide array of reactions, including from excited Boston fans and a pitcher on Alex Cora’s staff. Former Red Sox infielder and current NESN analyst Lou Merloni also chimed in with his initial take on the move.

“I’ll say this, it’s a surprise to me,” Merloni posted to X. “Given the last couple weeks it seemed like Sox had moved on and were focusing on (Nolan) Arenado. But they upped their offer and felt like Bregman wanted to be here over the other teams. Sox stepped up and closed it out.”

Merloni surely wasn’t alone with those impressions. After all, a report Wednesday morning claimed the Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals were “engaged in discussions” about a potential trade for Arenado. And that report was shared less than a week after a separate update claimed Bregman had “no interest” in a short-term contract.

But in the end, the two-time World Series champion chose to take his talents to a city where he’s had tremendous success in his career. And he figures to help out the Red Sox in many, many ways.