The Boston Red Sox are reportedly finalizing a significant agreement with Alex Bregman, securing him for three years with a staggering $120 million contract. This deal, representing an impressive $40 million per season, includes some deferred payments that have not yet been disclosed. Additionally, Bregman has the option to opt out after each of the first two seasons, although the team has yet to make an official announcement about the signing.

By landing Bregman, the Red Sox have acquired one of the top remaining free agents, making a bold financial commitment with one of the largest annual salary figures in baseball history. Bregman had reportedly been considering a six-year, $156 million contract from the Astros, along with a competing offer of six years at $171.5 million from the Tigers, and a four-year guarantee of $120 million from the Cubs. Despite his previous interest in a long-term deal, the Red Sox’s lucrative offer has altered Bregman’s decision-making process.

This marks the conclusion of Bregman’s impressive tenure with the Houston Astros, where he was drafted second overall in the 2015 MLB Draft and quickly made a name for himself, taking over third base within a year of completing his time at LSU. He played a key role in securing the Astros their inaugural World Series championship in 2017, showcasing his skills with a .284/.352/.475 batting average during his first full season. In the seasons that followed, Bregman emerged as one of baseball’s elite players, achieving back-to-back top-five finishes in the American League MVP voting from 2018 to 2019, boasting a combined .291/.409/.561 line while maintaining a higher number of walks compared to strikeouts.

At 31 years old, Bregman recorded 31 and 41 home runs over consecutive seasons; however, his power output has dipped since his record-breaking 2019 season, which was known for its home run frequency. In the past three seasons, he has consistently hit between 23 and 26 home runs. Nevertheless, his on-base numbers remained strong through 2023, although his on-base percentage fell last year as his walk rate diminished.

In 2024, Bregman’s performance saw him hit .260/.315/.453 across 634 plate appearances, reflecting his lowest on-base percentage since his rookie season nearly a decade ago. This downturn was largely attributed to a significant drop in walks, as he only walked in 6.9% of his appearances, a stark contrast to his usual 12-13% range. Despite that, he maintained an impressive strikeout rate at just 13.6% and set a personal best for hard contact percentage at 40.1%.

Bregman started slowly in the 2024 season, managing only a .216/.283/.294 line with just one home run by the end of April. However, he bounced back in May, although his on-base skills remained less effective during that month. Entering June, he had a .219/.280/.372 line, raising questions about his future earning potential. He silenced those doubts with an exceptional finish, posting a .284/.337/.500 line, including 20 doubles and 19 home runs across his last 398 plate appearances.

During over eight seasons with the Astros, Bregman compiled a robust .272/.366/.483 batting average with 191 home runs. His tenure in Houston is valued at around 40 wins above replacement by FanGraphs and Baseball Reference. He has received accolades such as a Silver Slugger award, was the MVP runner-up in 2019, and earned his first Gold Glove last season, playing a pivotal role in the Astros’ playoff success and World Series victories in 2017 and 2023.

With Boston’s Fenway Park’s iconic Green Monster, Bregman can expect a familiar playing environment. He will reunite with Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who was part of the Astros’ coaching staff during the 2017 season. Initially, the Sox front office was cautious about making another long-term commitment to the infield, particularly with established players like Rafael Devers and Trevor Story already on site, but ultimately chose to make an exception for this high-profile signing.

Leading into these negotiations, the Red Sox had approximately $210 million in luxury tax commitments. With Bregman’s anticipated $40 million annual value, that figure is expected to approach $250 million. Although the actual average annual value may be lower due to deferred payments, it is likely that the team will remain above the $241 million luxury tax threshold. Because they did not exceed this last season, any excess would incur a modest 20% tax for spending above that amount.

This signing caps an active offseason for Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and his team. The Sox began their winter focused on enhancing their rotation and made strategic moves without committing to long-term investments. They traded for Garrett Crochet, signed Walker Buehler to a one-year deal, and brought aboard Patrick Sandoval during his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery.

While the Red Sox initially sought a right-handed bat, Bregman’s flexibility to transition from third base makes him a fitting addition. Reports indicate he will take on the second base role, aligning him effectively within the roster, especially given Devers’ preference to remain at third base. Although Bregman excels defensively at third, he possesses the athleticism necessary to adapt to the keystone position for at least one season.

This decision influences the future playing opportunities for top prospect Kristian Campbell, who had an outstanding minor league season and now appears more likely to start the year in Triple-A. Nonetheless, Campbell’s versatile experience in both infield and outfield positions suggests that the Red Sox will be able to integrate him into the lineup when needed.

The short-term commitment of the Bregman deal likely reflects the team’s confidence in Campbell’s development. Reports indicate that the Red Sox were hesitant to extend the contract beyond three guaranteed years. The deal is indeed one of the largest annual commitments in MLB history, tying for the sixth-highest average annual value in the league. It ranks just behind Juan Soto’s impressive $51 million AAV and matches Aaron Judge as the third highest among position players.

Bregman was the last of the unsigned free agents who had declined a qualifying offer. As part of this signing, the Red Sox will forfeit their second-round pick (54th overall) in the upcoming draft, as well as a deduction of $500,000 from their international signing bonus budget in 2026. However, they will obtain a compensatory pick about 20 spots later, which offsets the loss to an extent. Meanwhile, Houston, as a luxury tax-paying team, will receive the lowest level of compensation for losing Bregman, which will fall after the fourth round of the draft, likely around the 137th overall selection.

Chandler Rome from The Athletic was among the first to report Bregman’s signing with the Red Sox, while insights concerning the deferred components of the deal were provided by Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Ari Alexander from Houston’s KPRC-2 offered additional details on the salary structure.

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