Red Sox Predicted To 'Ghost' Alex Bregman, Allow NL Contender To Swoop In

At this point in the offseason, we can safely say the Boston Red Sox are playing the waiting game with Alex Bregman.

Saving every dollar they can seems to be of importance to the Red Sox when it comes to (potentially) re-signing Bregman. That's both infuriating and nerve-wracking to a fan base that misses rooting for a team that routinely fielded a top-five payroll and would act much more decisively on free agents in years past.

Bregman may well want to return to Boston, but if another team shows him the money, he also won't hesitate to walk. Which team, though, might step up for the three-time All-Star in a way the Red Sox won't?

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Cubs predicted to make bold play for Bregman

On Friday, USA Today's Gabe Lacques predicted that Bregman would finish the offseason as a member of the Chicago Cubs, who made a four-year offer for the third baseman last offseason that came in $5 million lower than

"The Red Sox passed on Alonso and Bregman is hanging out there like a massive prize, posting grindset thirst traps from his Arizona gym, even as the local team out there put up smoke signals it might be in on him," Lacquest wrote.

"It all adds up to a classic Boston ghosting, even as Fenway Sports Group projects to pocket nearly $1 billion from its reported sale of the Pittsburgh Penguins. ... Meanwhile, all the old characters are back in play from Bregman’s first go-round in free agency. And at Wrigley Field, they’ll be losing Tucker’s big bat – and hefty salary – to free agency."

Do we really trust that the Cubs will suddenly open up their wallets even more for Bregman despite seeing tremendous progress from rookie Matt Shaw after the All-Star break? That they might even trade a six-WAR second baseman in Nico Hoerner to make it happen?

Therein lies the problem: The Red Sox will be rewarded for waiting out Bregman's market if they wind up re-signing him for less money. That approach comes with the downside of potential fan base mutiny if he leaves.

Yes, Bregman of course has red flags; there really aren't free agents without them these days. But you don't build a winning team nowadays without overpaying for a player or two to make sure you get them and your competitors don't.

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