Whereas nearly all of consideration figures to be targeted on the outfield market within the aftermath of Juan Soto’s determination to signal with the Mets on a record-shattering deal final evening, one different beneficiary of the failed suitors’ anticipated aggressiveness on the remainder of the free agent market might be third baseman Alex Bregman. Rob Bradford of WEEI reported final evening that the Pink Sox could “instantly be prioritizing” a pursuit of Bregman within the aftermath of Soto’s signing as they appear to make use of these funds to signal different prime free brokers, whereas USA Right now’s Bob Nightengale experiences this morning that the Yankees are “anticipated” to make a run at free company’s prime infielder as properly.
The Pink Sox had been beforehand reported as a possible suitor for Bregman earlier this winter, however their stage of curiosity has not been clear thus far. Now, it seems they might have extra vital curiosity in including the 30-year-old veteran to their roster after failing to land Soto. Bregman definitely makes loads of sense for the Pink Sox, as he’d assist to steadiness a closely left-handed lineup as a right-handed hitter with a profession .277/.367/.494 slash line towards southpaws. What’s extra, the membership’s crowded outfield combine makes the infield maybe the obvious place for Boston so as to add to the lineup, although they’ve seemingly prioritized including pitching assist (except for their pursuit of Soto) thus far within the offseason.
Maybe the largest impediment to Bregman touchdown in Boston is a considerably questionable positional match. Bregman has spent just about his total huge league profession on the scorching nook, which is at the moment occupied by Rafael Devers at Fenway Park. That mentioned, it’s simple to see how the Pink Sox might match Bregman into their plans in the event that they’re sufficiently motivated to take action. Bregman has expressed a willingness to slip over to second base if his new workforce so wishes, and the Pink Sox have additionally reportedly thought-about shifting Devers off third base into both a primary base or DH position. There’s potential flaws in both of these plans given the presence of prime prospect Kristian Campbell as a probably huge league prepared long-term answer on the keystone and Devers’ reported want to stay at third base for the foreseeable future, however these are points that might certainly be labored round if Boston had been sufficiently motivated.
The Yankees, in the meantime, have been a speculative match for Bregman’s providers however haven’t beforehand been reported to have curiosity within the veteran. The membership is bound to be aggressive in upgrading its roster now that Soto has landed elsewhere, and an infield that sports activities little certainty outdoors of Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe is an apparent place to start out. The membership had reported in shortstop Willy Adames as a candidate to play both second or third base earlier than he signed with the Giants over the weekend, and Bregman is definitely a logical match to fill that very same position.
Chisholm performed third base for the Yankees down the stretch and into the postseason after being acquired from the Marlins final summer time however has much more expertise on the keystone, so including a confirmed third baseman like Bregman might improve the membership on either side of the ball by permitting Chisholm to maneuver again to his pure place whereas including a dependable hitter who’s by no means posted a wRC+ decrease than 114 in a season to their lineup. One theoretical roadblock to the Yankees signing Bregman might be discontent as a result of third baseman being a part of the 2017 Astros squad that was implicated within the notorious sign-stealing scandal, although the identical might be mentioned for shortstop Carlos Correa and GM Brian Cashman’s entrance workplace didn’t let that cease them from pursuing him when he was a free agent three years in the past.
After all, the longtime archrivals of the AL East are hardly the one suitors for Bregman’s providers. The Phillies, Blue Jays, and Tigers all reportedly have no less than some stage of curiosity within the veteran infield this winter, and the incumbent Astros are maybe his most blatant suitor of all. Houston has already made a suggestion to Bregman’s camp this winter, which was reportedly within the vary of six years and $156MM. He’s reportedly in search of a deal within the $200MM vary, nonetheless, and that hole might create room for considered one of his different suitors to swoop in and pull him away from the Astros. That’s led the membership to discover contingency plans in case Bregman indicators elsewhere similar to infielder Jorge Polanco and first baseman Christian Walker, GM Dana Brown made clear in an look on MLBNetwork Radio yesterday that retaining their star third baseman stays the membership’s prime precedence.
“We’re engaged on it… we’re having numerous conversations with Scott [Boras], and, you understand, we’re optimistic,” Brown mentioned of their pursuit of Bregman. He went on to clarify that, even when they don’t re-sign Bregman in free company this winter, he expects the membership to hunt outdoors assist at third base. Brown famous that he believes the membership’s inside infield options to be wherever from six months to a yr away from being prepared for giant league motion, indicating that no less than a stopgap answer on the scorching nook similar to Polanco shall be needed for Houston ought to they fail to convey Bregman again into the fold.
