4 Potential Suitors Emerging For Red Sox's Alex Bregman

The Boston Red Sox currently have one of the game's best third basemen in Alex Bregman, but will that still be the case in 2026?

Well, that's a complicated question. Bregman did everything right for Boston in 2025 after signing his three-year, $120 million deal with opt-outs. Bregman was an All-Star and a veteran leader that the club needed. It's not a coincidence that the Red Sox made the playoffs for the first time since 2021 after an aggressive offseason, including his signing.

But now, his future is up in the air. On Tuesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Bregman will in fact opt out of his deal with Boston and head to the open market.

On Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com addressed the reported decision and talked about the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees as possible suitors for Bregman, but also noted that Boston "will be squarely in the mix" to bring the third baseman back to Boston.

Alex Bregman could have a big market this winter

Sep 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates his RBI double against the New York Yankees during the ninth inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

"Bregman is likely looking for a long-term deal in the $200 million range, like he did last year, and could have renewed interest from the Cubs, Tigers, and other clubs who tried to sign him a year ago," Cotillo said. "Heyman also named Kansas City as a potential surprise suitor and big market teams like the Yankees could be interested in Bregman’s leadership and skill set, too.

"The Red Sox saw Marcelo Mayer admirably fill in for Bregman while the latter was on the injured list this summer but still don’t have a surefire long-term option at third base, especially with Rafael Devers having been traded to San Francisco in June. Therefore, Boston will be squarely in the mix to sign Bregman, who became the club’s de facto captain in 2025. The Sox will have exclusive negotiating rights with Bregman until he officially opts out. It’s possible the sides could come to a restructured deal by that point, though Boras’ desire to test the open market makes that less likely."

Getting a deal done before hitting the open market would obviously be great for Boston because it would take the potential suitors out of the equation. Option decisions have to be officially made within five days of the end of the World Series meaning there's still time for the two sides to work something out. The clock is ticking, though.

More MLB: Red Sox 3B Alex Bregman Reportedly Will Enter Free Agency