Red Sox Predicted To Lose Alex Bregman To Fellow AL Wild Card Team

Where will the free-agent carousel land?

Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the jersey of Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Here we go. Another offseason of constant worry about whether the Boston Red Sox can sign free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman.

Bregman was great for the Red Sox until late August, then slumped down the stretch while possibly still being hampered by the quad strain that cost him all of June and half of July. This time around, however, it will almost certainly take more than a three-year commitment to keep him in Boston.

There's no doubt Bregman embraced playing in Boston, but if the Red Sox aren't willing to give him at least five years, maybe even six, he's likely a goner. And the team that was most happy to give him those six years last offseason might be the squad he winds up playing with.

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Bregman predicted to join Tigers afer near miss last year

On Tuesday, Andy McCullough of The Athletic predicted that Bregman would join the Detroit Tigers, who offered him six years and $171.5 million last offseason, according to numerous reports.

"If the Tigers aren’t going to trade (Cy Young winner) Tarik Skubal, then they should try to win the World Series with him," McCullough wrote.

"The market for Bregman heading into 2026 should be similar to the market for his services heading into 2025. Detroit’s infield is crowded, but you can make room for a player with Bregman’s talent."

The Tigers didn't seem thrilled Bregman turned down their offer last year, which represented the highest dollar amount any team had on the table. That hasn't stopped the constant speculation that they'll be in on him again, though.

At the very least, it doesn't seem like there's any reason for Bregman to prefer Detroit over Boston at this juncture. If he winds up in the Motor City, it will be due to the Red Sox's unwillingness to compete with the Tigers in a bidding war, which would rightfully upset the fan base, and even more so if he wasn't replaced with at least one big bat of equal stature.

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