MLB Rumors: Alex Bregman Contract 'Badly' Wanted by Red Sox Manager Alex Cora in FA

Free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman reportedly has a big fan within the Boston Red Sox organization.

According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Red Sox manager Alex Cora "badly" wants Boston to sign Bregman, who is the most notable player still available in free agency.

Passan noted that Bregman turned down a six-year, $156 million offer to re-sign with the Astros earlier this offseason, and teams have been unwilling to come close to matching that offer thus far.

Bregman, 30, has been among the best third basemen in baseball since making his MLB debut in 2016.

Over nine seasons with the Astros, Bregman is a two-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove Award winner, one-time Silver Slugger Award winner and two-time World Series champion.

In 1,111 career regular-season games, Bregman owns a slash line of .272/.366/.483 with 191 home runs, 663 RBI and 694 runs scored.

While not elite, Bregman has remained productive since the 2018 and 2019 seasons when he finished fifth and second in American League MVP voting, respectively.

Bregman has hit 20 or more home runs in three straight seasons and finished 2024 with a .260 batting average, 26 homers, 75 RBI and 79 runs scored. He also won the first Gold Glove of his career.

However, Bregman's .315 on-base percentage was his lowest since he posted a .313 OBP as a rookie, which may be cause for concern among teams that might consider signing him.

Cora's reported interest in Bregman isn't particularly surprising since he was the Astros' bench coach in 2017 before becoming Boston's manager.

The Astros won the World Series during Cora's one season with the team, and Bregman played a big role with four home runs and 10 RBI during the playoff run.

Boston went 81-81 last season and has now missed the playoffs for three straight years, so the front office may be feeling the pressure from fans to commit to fielding a playoff-caliber roster.

The Red Sox acquired starting pitcher Garrett Crochet in a trade with the Chicago White Sox this offseason, but they have been relatively quiet in free agency. Their main move was the signing of former Los Angeles Dodgers starter Walker Buehler to a one-year deal.

Passan noted that the Red Sox have spent only $52.3 million in guaranteed money in free agency this offseason, which may not be the type of commitment to winning that fans are looking for.

The Red Sox already have a three-time All-Star third baseman in Rafael Devers, but given that defense isn't his strong suit, Boston could easily accommodate Bregman by moving Devers to first base or designated hitter.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Bregman's agent, Scott Boras, said Bregman is willing to move to second base as well, which could be an option if the Red Sox sign him.