The most sought-after position player among the available free agents is Alex Bregman, who during the offseason has been in the conversation between a return to the Houston Astros or joining the New York Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Detroit Tigers and most closely with the Boston Red Sox.
Bregman is represented by agent Scott Boras, the same agent as Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, which speaks to how tough negotiations can be in the winter market, specifically with the Red Sox, a team that is used to holding out until they get what they want, although there is the risk that someone else will get ahead of them and beat them to a player they need in their lineup.
Boston manager Alex Cora knows he needs a right-handed hitter in his lineup and in an interview with NESN, he said he couldn’t go into detail about a free agent, but gave some hints about a player he worked with when he was bench coach for the Astros in 2017.
“I think he’s a hitter who throws and puts the ball in play and he’s a good defender. The intangibles are the intangibles, we all know that, he’s a winner, from LSU to the Astros,” said Alex Cora in his interview with NESN.
Alex Cora suggests Alex Bregman as a second baseman
Without claiming that Alex Bregman would join the Red Sox, Cora was quick to point out that Rafael Devers is the team’s third baseman, so if the signing were to go through, Bregman would have to make a concession and switch to second base.
“Alex was a Gold Glover at third base. We all know that, but in 2017, I had a conversation with him. He needed to play third base because it was Correa (at shortstop) and Altuve (at third base). I always envisioned Alex as a Gold Glove second baseman,” Cora said of a hint at the position Bregman would fit in Boston.
The Red Sox could be concerned about a possible block of Bregman to prospect Kristian Campbell at second base, but could try him in other positions, while taking advantage of Bregman’s talent, who in the 2024 season hit 26 home runs.
“You know, his size, the way he moves, it looked like ‘you’ll be a second baseman,’ but he’s played third base at a high level, so we’ll see where he ends up,” said Alex Cora.
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