New Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman has attempted to explain why he recently left the Boston Red Sox. The All-Star slugger opted out of his previous long-term deal in Beantown this past fall. Although he was expected to re-sign a new contract with Boston, he ultimately shocked many in the league by joining the Cubs.
The player’s decision left the Red Sox scrambling for a replacement. Boston was then immediately linked with Bo Bichette, yet he signed a massive deal with the New York Mets. After the dust settled, Red Sox president Sam Kennedy then had an interesting response as to why the club could not retain Bregman. “Look, if Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here,” proclaimed Kennedy.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale recently broke down the differences in the Bregman offers from Boston and Chicago. According to the insider, the Red Sox offered the star a five-year, $165 million contract, but without a no-trade clause. The Cubs, on the other hand, offered a five-year, $175 million deal with a no-trade clause included.
Nightengale specifically asked Bregman if he would have re-signed with Boston if the team included the no-trade clause. “It was more than just that,” responded the new Cub. Bregman then heaped praise on the Red Sox and their fans before being asked if the extra $10 million made the difference. “I just really don’t want to get into it,’’ Bregman replied. “It’s not worth it.”
Boston Red Sox Felt Alex Bregman was Bluffing in Negotiations
GettyAlex Bregman is widely viewed to be an excellent teammate.
While Bregman took the diplomatic route, it certainly seems as if the extra money and no-trade clause helped put Chicago over the top. To make matters worse for Boston, Nightengale reports that the Red Sox believed Bregman was bluffing about the Cubs’ offer. Boston apparently thought that they were offering the infielder the best deal. Unfortunately, this was an incorrect bet by the club.
Bregman’s departure will undoubtedly hurt his now former team. In fact, a recent survey by The Athletic’s Jayson Stark shows just how valuable the star is to his teammates. Stark asked 36 anonymous MLB execs which player is the most irreplaceable subtraction of the winter. Bregman received the most votes in the poll.
Multiple voters specifically pointed to the infielder’s leadership skills with young players. The comments back up Ken Rosenthal’s report from Cubs camp on February 12. The reporter detailed how Bregman is already making his new teammates better, despite having just arrived at the club.
Red Sox Still Hopeful of Having Successful 2026
With spring training set to start, the Red Sox now have to move on from the offseason fiasco. Boston eventually made a trade to acquire Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers to help deflect Bregman’s departure. The versatile infielder is capable of playing second and third base. Fangraphs, however, predicts that the 2025 rookie will begin 2026 as the team’s starting second baseman.
Even without Bregman, there is optimism in Boston. MLB Network’s Robert Flores and Harold Reynolds both recently claimed that the Red Sox are “sneaky favorites” in the competitive American League East. The team’s chances in the division will likely come down to how their pitching holds up throughout the upcoming campaign.
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