Red Sox star Alex Bregman makes $80 million contract decision

Billy Heyen

Red Sox star Alex Bregman makes $80 million contract decision image

Alex Bregman is seeking a new contract.

The Boston Red Sox star will be opting out of his current deal, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Bregman has two years and $80 million remaining on his current contract, but with a chunk of that remaining money set as deferred payments, Bregman will search for a new deal.

Still just 31 years old, Bregman is coming off a season with an .822 OPS. He missed some time with injury, but when on the field, Bregman was his usual self.

Bregman was just a free agent last offseason before arriving in Boston as his first team other than the Houston Astros.

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He's hitting a market in which he will again be one of the top free agent hitters available. Given his age, Bregman may be eying one final big contract, potentially with more length than the one he signed with the Red Sox.

MLB Trade Rumors' AJ Eustace wrote this: 

"Given the state of the market, his ineligibility for another qualifying offer, and his strong platform season, Bregman will likely be seeking a long-term contract this offseason. He reportedly sought a $200MM contract early last winter. He declined an early six-year, $156MM offer from the Astros and eventually turned down a six-year, $171.5MM proposal from Detroit late in the offseason. Heyman writes today that Bregman had countered with an offer in the $180MM range before taking the shorter deal with Boston at a much higher annual rate."

Bregman could choose to return to the Red Sox, who have more money to work with after the midseason trade away of Rafael Devers.

Given Detroit's interest last offseason, there's a chance the Tigers pursue Bregman again, too.

Someone is certainly going to pay Bregman handsomely.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle