Cubs to Sign Alex Bregman to Five-Year Contract in Free Agency

Bregman is headed to Chicago.

Bregman is a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Alex Bregman is Chicago bound.

The Cubs and Bregman agreed to terms on a five-year contract worth $175 million, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Saturday night. Bregman's deal does not include any opt-outs, but does feature a full no-trade clause, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Bregman, a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, spent the 2025 season in Boston with the Red Sox. The 31-year-old, among the most productive third basemen in the league, appeared in 114 games, posting a .273/.360/.462 slash line with 18 home runs, 62 RBI and 64 runs scored despite missing some time in the first half due to a right quad strain. Bregman this past offseason signed a three-year, $120 million contract with Boston, a deal that included a pair of opt-outs, one of which the Albuquerque, N.M., native exercised in November of 2025.

Bregman was drafted by the Astros in 2015 and spent the first nine seasons of his career in Houston, where was a part of two championship-winning clubs and a successful stretch that saw the franchise capture seven straight American League pennants from 2016-24. The addition of Bregman, while bolstering an already-fearsome Cubs lineup, also helps offset the anticipated loss of free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, who posted the second-highest OPS on the team.

Cubs projected lineup after Bregman addition in free agency

Here is an early look at what the 2026 Cubs lineup could look like with Bregman, courtesy of FanGraphs.

Order	Position	Player
1	1B	Michael Busch
2	3B	Alex Bregman
3	LF	Ian Happ
4	RF	Seiya Suzuki
5	CF	Pete Crow-Armstrong
6	C	Carson Kelly
7	SS	Dansby Swanson
8	DH	Moisés Ballesteros
9	2B	Nico Hoerner

Bregman, who has won a Gold Glove and was worth three Outs Above Average in 2025, represents a defensive upgrade over 2025 starter Matt Shaw. The Cubs open Cactus League play on Feb. 20 against the White Sox and begin regular season play on Mar. 26 vs. the Nationals.

---

More MLB on Sports Illustrated

feed