How Red Sox’s Alex Cora Addressed Alex Bregman’s Offseason Decision

Alex Cora will enter the offseason unsure if Alex Bregman is returning to the Boston Red Sox in 2026.

Bregman is expected to exercise his opt-out clause and enter free agency after an All-Star campaign with Boston. Cora is trying not to fret over the third baseman’s uncertain future.

The Red Sox manager discussed Bregman’s offseason decision with Tom Caron and Alex Speier on NESN’s “310 To Left” podcast.

“I’m going to stay positive,” Cora said. “I’m going to stay very positive. This is a guy that —he chose us last year because of the right reasons. He wanted to be on a playoff team. He wanted to play in Fenway Park. He wanted to be a part of this organization. And since Day 1, he’s given 100 percent to us.”

Cora praised Bregman’s leadership and work within the community, but he wouldn’t speculate on the 31-year-old’s offseason mindset.

“The kid is a really good player,” Cora continued. “He’s a great person. He’s a great teammate … We just have to wait and see.”

Cora said he learned not to put too much pressure on Bregman from watching how other organizations handled the courting process last offseason. He called it “very clear” where he stands without any recruiting pitches.

“He knows what he wants to do,” Cora said of Bregman. “He understands who he is and what he wants, so giving him space is kind of the smart thing to do.”

That said, Cora laid out how valuable a player Bregman was to the Red Sox in 2025.

“He’s a good defender. He’s a good hitter,” Cora said. “He controls the strike zone, and where we’re at as an industry, those are the players you want.”