Ranking Red Sox 3B Alex Bregman's Top 8 Landing Spots Ahead of MLB Free Agency
Alex Bregman's second stint into free agency figures to be much more fruitful than the first.
Granted, the three-year, $120 million deal he signed with the Boston Red Sox last offseason after spending nine seasons with the Houston Astros isn't anything to scoff at. But Bregman played well enough in 2025 to opt out of the final two seasons of that deal, return to the market and get an even better pact this time around.
In addition to being a tremendous offensive player and having a Gold Glove at third base on his resume, Bregman is a two-time World Series Champion with a wealth of postseason experience, making him one of the most respected clubhouse leaders the sport has to offer. With no qualifying offer attached to him this time around, Bregman will be even more coveted entering his age-32 season.
Here is a look at eight teams that make sense as potential suitors for the three-time All-Star this offseason.
8. Seattle Mariners
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Considering the dip in Eugenio Suárez's production after he was reacquired by the Mariners—along with the fact that he had a .751 OPS during his first stint with the team—it's unlikely they are going to be able to convince the slugger to re-sign this winter.
Of course, the Mariners struggle to convince hitters to come to T-Mobile Park because, as beautiful as it is, it has such a poor reputation among hitters, particularly right-handed ones. So we wouldn't exactly call it likely that Bregman winds up signing as a replacement for Suárez.
Still, the M's are worth mentioning here. They have great starting pitching and a tremendous one-two offensive punch with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez. If the president of baseball operations, Jerry Dipoto, has the financial wherewithal to both re-sign Josh Naylor and lure Bregman to Seattle, it would be a great offseason.
7. Washington Nationals
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There's going to be a lot of "ifs" with this one.
First of all, the Nationals need to recommit to spending. When the Nationals won the 2019 World Series, they had the fifth-highest payroll in baseball. In 2025, they carried the 24th-highest payroll in baseball, per Spotrac. This isn't a small-market team, and if Mark Lerner doesn't plan to sell the team, he needs to open up the checkbook once again.
Now, it can certainly be argued that if the Nationals are going to make a major investment this offseason, it should come in the starting rotation. Washington can hope that both Josiah Gray and Cade Cavalli ultimately pan out, but the reality is that they need more certainty in the rotation behind MacKenzie Gore.
Still, this is a young team that could use the veteran presence of Bregman, let alone his production. They do have Brady House as a possible long-term option at third base, but if the Nationals don't want to unseat him, they could still sign Bregman to play second base and trade Luis García Jr.
6. Cincinnati Reds
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You know what the Reds desperately need? A sure veteran in their lineup.
Elly De La Cruz struggled after the All-Star Break, while both Matt McLain and Spencer Steer disappointed to varying degrees. That trio is still going to be crucial for the Reds moving forward, but there are too many question marks in the lineup. Don't you think that Terry Francona would love to add a sure thing to the lineup in Bregman, while getting his leadership?
There's been speculation about the Reds potentially pursuing Middletown, Ohio, native Kyle Schwarber in free agency. If that, for whatever reason, doesn't come to fruition, Bregman would check many of the same boxes.
This is another team, though, where there are questions about whether ownership will be willing to spend enough to lure a player of Bregman's caliber. If they are, he would be a great fit.
5. Philadelphia Phillies
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The reason the Phillies are only No. 5 is because if they re-sign Kyle Schwarber—which seems more likely than not—they almost certainly won't be players for Bregman.
However, if Schwarber signs elsewhere, Bregman might be the most obvious pivot for the Phillies. Not only would he help replace the offensive production lost with Schwarber's departure, but Bregman would also help fill the leadership void created.
Again, the most likely scenario is that Schwarber re-signs with the Phillies, making this conversation moot. If not, though, signing Bregman and then trading Alec Bohm in advance of his contract year could become a serious consideration for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
4. Chicago Cubs
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This is another situation that might be contingent on one free agent leaving. However, Kyle Tucker's exit from Chicago seems more plausible than Schwarber leaving Philadelphia. If so, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer could consider Bregman, Tucker's former teammate.
Exactly how the Cubs would utilize Bregman defensively would be interesting.
Matt Shaw is a former first-round pick who graded out very well at the hot corner during his rookie year. It seems unlikely that the Cubs would want to displace him from his natural position.
Ditto at second base, where Nico Hoerner is an elite defender and makes up for his lack of power by getting on base consistently.
It may be that the defensive fit—or lack thereof—prevents Bregman from being a fit. But if Tucker leaves in free agency, there's going to have to be a replacement for his presence, and Bregman would help to do that offensively.
3. Toronto Blue Jays
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The No. 1 priority this offseason for the Blue Jays will be to re-sign shortstop Bo Bichette, who re-emerged as a hits machine in his contract year. If that doesn't come to fruition, though, Bregman could be a good pivot for general manager Ross Atkins.
If the Blue Jays signed Bregman, he would take over at third base, allowing Ernie Clement to slide over to shortstop and serve as the successor to Bichette. Clement's best defensive position is probably third base, but he has also graded out very well at shortstop, so he could handle that spot on a more consistent basis if asked.
Toronto has shown a willingness to spend in recent years, and reuniting Bregman with George Springer—his long-time teammate with the Houston Astros—could be their next big expenditure.
2. Detroit Tigers
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This fit made sense last offseason, and arguably makes even more this time around, both because there's no QO attached to Bregman and because Jace Jung hasn't shown anything to make you believe he should get the keys at third base moving forward.
The Tigers are another team, like the Reds, that has a lot of players with positional flexibility and intriguing talent, but needs a sure thing that's playoff-tested. Bregman would give them that, not to mention he also has defensive flexibility himself.
A.J. Hinch was Bregman's first manager, and would likely love to utilize him at third base, allowing him to slide Zach McKinstry—who hasn't graded out well at the hot corner—over to second base as Gleyber Torres' replacement.
1. Boston Red Sox
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While there will certainly be other suitors, Bregman remaining in Boston for the foreseeable future is still the scenario that makes the most sense, by far.
Yes, at times it feels like the Red Sox have too much young position talent for their own good, but keeping that makes the veteran presence of Bregman that much more important. They also burned the bridge with Rafael Devers, so there's not a good internal option to replace Bregman at third base in 2026.
Alex Cora wanted to reunite with Bregman last offseason, so much so that the Red Sox gave up draft-pick compensation to sign him. With Devers gone and no ability to give Bregman a QO, the Red Sox should be the most motivated player in the sweepstakes for Bregman.
