Red Sox Projected To Make Much-Needed $135 Million Free-Agent Signing

How soon will the market move?

Apr 4, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) celebrates with Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (2) after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox fans are itching for a move to be made.

This past week, the Red Sox stood by as the Philadelphia Phillies and Baltimore Orioles signed the two biggest bats on the free-agent market in Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, respectively. Fans were particularly upset about Alonso, who the Red Sox made a much smaller offer than the Orioles, because he seemed like the much more attainable piece.

Pressure is immense to not only make a splash elsewhere, but to retain third baseman Alex Bregman, whose arrival indirectly caused a roster upheaval with the Rafael Devers trade in June.

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Red Sox's Alex Bregman contract prediction

The market for Bregman doesn't seem to be moving quickly, or drawing as many suitors as the 31-year-old would have liked. Ultimately, none of that matters unless the Red Sox bring him back.

On Friday, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly made a projection that just about all Red Sox fans would appreciate at this point: Boston re-signing Bregman to a five-year, $135 million contract.

"Just as it felt like Bregman could be destined to have a one-year reset in Boston like Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre did in 2010, the market has played out in a way where him returning to the Red Sox might be more likely than it appeared at the outset of the offseason," wrote Kelly.

"It can be argued whether Schwarber or Alonso would have been a better fit for the Red Sox given their power production, but both signed elsewhere. In what projects right now to be a very left-handed lineup, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow might be best off circling back to the right-handed hitting Bregman."

Does Bregman perfectly fit the "power bat" mold that the Red Sox seemed to be professing their desire to attain? No, but he's a great defender and an important leader in the Boston clubhouse, and right now, the team is likely worse than it was when he was on it at the end of the season.

For now, the Red Sox seem to be waiting out the market, which is a risky gamble, but could work in their favor if teams like the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs don't step up with big offers.

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