Why Alex Bregman's postgame comments should have Red Sox fans concerned

Matt Sullivan

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Why Alex Bregman's postgame comments should have Red Sox fans concerned image

The Boston Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees in Games 2 and 3 to lose the Wild Card series. It was a brutal series loss, as the Red Sox became the first team since the postseason format changed in 2022 to win the first game of a best-of-three series, and go on to lose the next two games and the series.

After the game, NESN on Twitter/X shared Alex Bregman's reaction to the series loss to the Yankees. The $120 million free agent the Red Sox signed over the offseason was asked about the loss, the future of the team, and his own future heading into the 2026 offseason.

While Bregman said that the future is bright in Boston, another comment of his should have Red Sox fans concerned. With an opt-out in his contract, Bregman can depart the team this offseason, and one of the comments he made seems to indicate that's on the table.

Alex Bregman makes a concerning postgame comment after the Red Sox's loss to the Yankees

The 2025 season was Bregman's first year away from the Houston Astros. Amid his retrospective of the year, and the Red Sox's loss to the Yankees, Bregman said that "It was an honor to put on this jersey."

This is a worrisome comment, as it seems to indicate that this is the final time he's going to be wearing a Red Sox uniform. Bregman was expected to opt out of his deal, especially after how strong he looked this season for Boston.

But, this comment points to Bregman believing this will be his final time wearing a Red Sox uniform; otherwise, he would've said something different than what he ended up saying.

While this is a concerning comment, it is important to know that Bregman isn't shutting down a return to the team. When asked about returning in 2026, Bregman said, "Of course. I'm not even thinking about that at all right now. Thinking about the game that just happened."

These two quotes paint a picture: one that Bregman will opt out of his current deal and hit free agency, while still being open to a return to Boston. The 31-year-old isn't shutting down a return, but his initial comment hints at how he might've played his final game in a Red Sox uniform.

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If he has played his last game, Bregman will have put together an impressive resume for just one season. Despite missing a decent part of the year, Bregman still played 114 games for the Red Sox and put up solid numbers as well.

He had a .273 batting average with an .821 OPS and a 128 OPS+, the best mark of his career over the last four seasons. Bregman finished the year with 118 hits, 64 runs scored, 28 doubles, 18 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 3.5 WAR.

The three-time All-Star third baseman will be a hot commodity this winter, as plenty of top contenders and teams looking to start contending will look to swipe the veteran from the Red Sox.

Saying that "it was an honor" to wear the Red Sox uniform is a statement that hints at closure. While nothing is official, this is a telling comment, especially since it was unprompted by any specific free agent question during the clubhouse interview.

Bregman could still wind up back in Boston, but this comment from Bregman seems to indicate that he believes the 2025 MLB season was his first and final year with the Red Sox.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.