The Boston Red Sox appeared to suffer a devastating blow in free agency last week when it was reported that All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman was signing a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs. On Wednesday, those fears were officially confirmed.
After signing a three-year, $120 million contract with the Sox last offseason, Bregman enjoyed a strong season (.273 BA, 18 HR, 62 RBI, .821 OPS), which convinced him to opt out of his deal and test the waters of free agency for the second straight year.
For much of the offseason, it seemed like Boston had the inside track to re-sign Bregman, but Chicago emerged from out of nowhere to land his signature. After the deal was reported a few days ago, the Cubs confirmed it with a triumphant post on social media.
Simply put, losing Bregman is a massive blow for the Red Sox. After trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants midway through the 2025 campaign, Boston seemed to be committing itself to Bregman for the long-term future. Instead, both guys won’t be on the roster in 2026.
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Making matters worse, the Sox also missed out on other top free agent targets like Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso. As a result, the front office is quickly running out of suitable options to replace Bregman’s lost production.
What Boston ends up doing to replace Bregman will likely determine how it fares in 2026. And if the front office can’t make a splash move or two ahead of the start of the season, it’s not a stretch to suggest that the Red Sox could be in trouble before they even take the field.
Featured image via Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images
