The Boston Red Sox thought they'd landed their third baseman for a few seasons when they signed Alex Bregman last offseason.
He signed a three-year deal worth $120 million to leave the Astros for Fenway Park.
But a year later, the Red Sox are at risk of losing Bregman.
He opted out of his contract, in large part because it contained a lot of deferred money, and he wants to seek a deal that has much more present money.
That puts the Red Sox in a bidding war for Bregman for a second year in a row.
This time, they might lose.
The Detroit Tigers were in on Bregman last offseason and just missed.
This time around, The Athletic's Andy McCullough thinks the Tigers will win the bidding.
"If the Tigers aren’t going to trade Tarik Skubal, then they should try to win the World Series with him," McCullough writes. "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."
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If Boston lost Bregman, it might have to seek a new third baseman from outside the organization. The Red Sox could also choose to move promising youngster Marcelo Mayer to the hot corner.
They probably wouldn't love to lose Bregman to another American League team that could be in direct competition with Boston when the 2026 postseason arrives.
If the Red Sox want to avoid this fate, they'll have to really open up their checkbooks.
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