Mariners Linked To 3-Time All-Star After $120M Opt Out

The Seattle Mariners are a team that can do some serious damage in 2026.

Seattle won the American League West in triumphant fashion this past season for the first time since 2001. The Mariners parlayed that into a deep playoff run that had the organization come up just short of a World Series appearance. Seattle hasn't been messing around this offseason and already has inked Josh Naylor to a new contract to keep him around the organization.

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What about third base, though? That was the other hole the Mariners filled ahead of the trade deadline by acquiring Eugenio Suárez. He's a free agent right now, though.

Should the Seattle Mariners target Alex Bregman?

Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman fields his position against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, May 14, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jim Bowden, former big league general manager and current insider with The Athletic, floated a name as a fit that surely would get Mariners fans excited: Alex Bregman.

"Bregman, 31, opted out of his contract with the Red Sox earlier this offseason because he would like a long-term deal to finish his career with one team," Bowden wrote. "He’d love that team to be Boston, but it remains to be seen whether the Red Sox are willing to offer him the kind of long-term deal he’s seeking. Bregman was important to the Red Sox last year not just because of what he did on the field, but because of his leadership qualities and willingness to help develop their young players at the major-league level.

"However, there are several contending teams that Bregman would be a difference-maker for if he signs with any of them, including the Tigers, Phillies, Mariners, Yankees, Mets, and Blue Jays, as well as non-contending teams like the Angels and Pirates. His free agency is going to be must-watch during the Winter Meetings."

Bowden isn't wrong. Bregman would be a "difference-maker" if he were to land with Seattle. The mixture of pop he brings from the right side of the plate, elite defense at the hot corner, and leadership in the clubhouse would go a long way for a team with hopes of making a run to the World Series.

For Seattle, price would be the biggest barrier. Bregman opted out of a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, which is a clear sign he is looking for more and a longer-term deal.

The Mariners signed Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million pact. That type of number likely wouldn't come close to getting it done with Bregman. Do the Mariners have the funds to go get him? That's the question more than anything else here.

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