Blue Jays-Alex Bregman Update Drops As Red Sox Remain Narrow Favorites

What's the latest on a fascinating free agency saga?

Aug 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) stands on deck during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Alex Bregman's free-agent market is following a pattern at this point.

Whenever it seems like a team is the favorite, a reason emerges why they can't get a deal done. But conversely, when a team seems as though it's out of the running, a report details exactly why they're not.

Over the weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays signed Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, which seemingly took them out of the running for the Boston Red Sox star. But on Monday, an insider's report revealed the Red Sox can't count out their division foes just yet.

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Blue Jays definitively not out on Bregman

Bob Nightengale of USA Today revealed that the Blue Jays expected to add another big bat after landing Okamoto, and that pursuing Bregman was still very much in the cards.

"Even after signing infielder Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract, ... they still want to add another power hitter. Their preference is to make Okamoto a super utility player," wrote Nightengale. "The Blue Jays remain fully engaged in talks with infielders Bo Bichette and Alex Bregman, with outfielder Kyle Tucker also remaining a possibility.

"The Boston Red Sox, who remain the favorite for Bregman, have been active on the trade market, but haven’t spent a penny in free agency."

Elsewhere in the report, Nightengale revealed that the Arizona Diamondbacks were pessimistic about trading Ketel Marte, and that without such a trade, Arizona would be out on Bregman. The Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, were declared to still be in the hunt.

Even if the Blue Jays want Okamoto to roam, the only way it would make sense to bring in Bregman is if they want him to play the vast majority of his games in the outfield. Bregman, Andrés Giménez, Ernie Clement, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have all earned full-time infield roles in this league.

Treating the Blue Jays as a serious threat should be a given at this point. But the reality is that the Red Sox are and always should have been the favorites, and if they lose Bregman, they'll have no one but themselves to blame.

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