Red Sox Manager Alex Cora Dishes On 2-Time All-Star Alex Bregman's Fit In Boston

Where does Bregman fit with this Red Sox club?
Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
In this story:

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora knows a thing or two about middle infield defense. He also knows a thing or two about Alex Bregman.

Before managing the Red Sox, Cora was Bregman's bench coach with the Houston Astros, watching as he took the league by storm in 2017 and helped Houston to their first World Series title.

Now that Bregman is a free agent, Cora seems to have a strong opinion about his fit with the Red Sox.

Bregman has been a third baseman his whole career, and Rafael Devers currently occupies the position in Boston. But Cora firmly believes if his Red Sox were to sign the two-time American League All-Star, he could easily take over second base.

“Alex was a Gold Glover at third base. We all know that,”Cora said on NESN Saturday. “But in 2017, I had a conversation with him and he needed to play third because it was (Carlos) Correa (at shortstop) and (Jose) Altuve (at third). I always envisioned Alex as a Gold Glove second baseman."

"His size, the way he moves, it felt kind of like, ‘You will be a second baseman.’ But he has played third base at a high level. So we’ll see where he ends up and we’ll see where he ends up playing.”

Cora didn't expressly say the Red Sox were pursuing Bregman, but they'd likely be the only team interested in converting him to a second baseman of the likely suitors at this stage.

Bregman, 30, has reportedly been seeking a $200 million contract in free agency, and doesn't seem to be having much luck finding it. Cora also said in an interview last week that he could see the Red Sox making an unspecified big signing late in the offseason, much like J.D. Martinez in 2018.

Can the Red Sox and Bregman work something out? We'll have to see how the cards fall, but it seems clear that Cora is strongly pushing for it.

More MLB: Red Sox Predicted To Land Ex-Padres $28 Million Gold Glover In Free Agency Surprise


Published
Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org