Chicago Cubs Ownership 'Reluctant' to Go Into Luxury Tax For Free Agent Alex Bregman

The Alex Bregman sweepstakes seem to be reaching a fever pitch, but recent reports suggest that the Chicago Cubs might not be willing to keep up in the impending bidding war.

Jul 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) throws his helmet after hitting a walk-off home run during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

As much as the Chicago Cubs would like to round out their lineup with another All-Star, there could be some financial roadblocks preventing them from doing so.

The Cubs reportedly had "casual conversations" with free agent third baseman Alex Bregman earlier this month. The Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros have also been linked to Bregman, making it a competitive market for the 30-year-old slugger.

Cubs ownership is apparently reluctant to go over the $241 million luxury tax threshold, though, with their 2025 luxury tax responsibilities already sitting at roughly $200 million. As a result, Chicago's current baseball operations budget does not have much room left for Bregman, according to a report from the Athletic's Chandler Rome, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney.

Still, the Cubs' front office is trying to be "opportunistic" and "get creative" with a potential Bregman deal, per the Athletic. Reports surfaced Thursday night, however, that Bregman had at least three five-year offers on the table, so Chicago may end up getting outbid for his services.

As it stands, top prospect Matt Shaw is expected to serve as the Cubs' Opening Day third baseman. For as much hype as Shaw brings to the table, he has only played 159 minor league games and has a questionable arm by major league third base standards.

Bregman, on the other hand, won a Gold Glove in 2024 after falling short his last three times as a finalist. He also hit .260 with 26 home runs, 75 RBI, a .768 OPS and 4.1 WAR on the year.

Between 2018 and 2019, Bregman hit . 291 with a .970 OPS, averaging 36 home runs, 44 doubles, 108 RBI, eight stolen bases and an 8.4 WAR in that short span. Over the last four seasons, he has hit .262 with a .795 OPS, averaging 22 home runs, 28 doubles, 80 RBI, two stolen bases and a 3.9 WAR per year.

Based on the six-year, $156 million offer that Bregman got from Houston earlier in the offseason, he is likely to net an average annual salary nearing $30 million. The Cubs could technically fit that onto their roster, but considering the money they paid the New York Yankees to take on Cody Bellinger's contract, it wouldn't leave them with a ton of breathing room to make moves over the course of the season.

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