Will Red Sox Sign Alex Bregman? MLB Insider Doesn't Hold Back

Boston needs to add a boost to the offense

Sep 21, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) warms up before playing against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox made it known that they were planning to be much more aggressive this offseason in comparison to the last few years.

To be fair to the Red Sox, they have landed All-Stars Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, and Aroldis Chapman. The Red Sox also signed Patrick Sandoval as a depth option. While this is the case, Boston still hasn't addressed the offense. Even though the Red Sox have made a handful of moves, Buehler's one-year, $21 million deal still is the biggest.

Boston still is far below the competitive-balance tax threshold even with these moves. When will the Red Sox make another big move? Rumors and speculation have been swirling for weeks about the team's possible interest in All-Star slugger Alex Bregman.

Manager Alex Cora has made it clear that he loves Bregman and has hinted that he would be a good fit. Will the Red Sox actually sign him, though? The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal weighed in on the sweepstakes and roasted Boston in the process.

"The Boston Red Sox’s seeming resistance to Alex Bregman makes sense only if the team is playing a game of chicken with agent Scott Boras, believing Bregman won’t go to Toronto and the Detroit Tigers won’t pay him," Rosenthal said. "If the Red Sox succeed in taking the same approach with Bregman, more power to them. He’s the right-handed hitting stalwart they need, and it doesn’t matter if they sign him on Jan. 10, Feb. 10, or even March 10, as long as they get a deal done."

Rosenthal discussed the competitive-balance tax threshold and how Boston has approached it.

"Even if it takes us over the CBT, our priority is 90 to 95 wins, and winning the American League East, and winning the division for multiple years,” Sam Kennedy said as transcribed by Rosenthal. "The 'CBT' is the $241 million competitive-balance tax threshold, and the Sox are about as close to it as Boston is to Tokyo. Wait, that’s unfair: The Sox are at $211.55 million, only about an Alex Bregman away.

"Ninety to 95 wins? As presently constituted, the Red Sox look more like an 85-win club that could end up with 88 and sneak into the postseason. In a weakened American League, why do they keep operating like an AL Central wild-card hopeful? They are not better than the New York Yankees, and probably not better than the Baltimore Orioles. They just want to make the playoffs at the cheapest possible price."

Boston hasn't operated like the team of old but there still is a chance that this can end up being a very successful offseason. Landing Bregman -- or someone equivalent -- would get fans off their back for a little bit.

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