Alex Bregman to opt out of Red Sox contract

Alex Bregman He will opt out of his contract with the Red Sox, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported. He has two years and $80 left on his contract, although some of that money is deferred.

Bregman, 31, is coming off a strong season in which he hit .273/.360/.462 for a 125 wRC+ in 114 games for Boston. After posting an unusually low walk rate of 6.7% in 2024, he bounced back to 10.3% in 2025, while his strikeout rate only ticked up slightly to a still-excellent 14.1%. His hitting metrics backed up his performance, with a 90.1 mph average exit velocity and a 44.4% hard-hit rate both career highs. Although Bregman missed seven weeks with a right quadriceps injury in the first half of the season, he has 3.5 fWAR this year, seventh among major league third basemen with at least 400 plate appearances.

Defensively, Bregman was above average, albeit down from the 2024 season. In 972 1/3 innings at third base, he allowed 1 defensive run and 3 shutouts above average in 2025, and Statcast has his range in the 83rd percentile. By comparison, he was worth 6 DRS and 8 OAA with the Astros last year. Of course, defensive metrics are notoriously tricky, but Bregman appears to remain a defensive asset well into his 30s.

If he opts out, Bregman will give up $40MM in AAV over two years. That number is somewhat misleading, though, because according to Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, $600,000 of the $1.2 million total was deferred to 2035-46, significantly lowering the contract’s AAV. Regardless, Bregman will no doubt look to exceed that guarantee as he enters free agency for the second time in a row. He was healthy for three straight seasons from 2022-24 before suffering a quadriceps injury this year, so there’s reason to stay healthy moving forward.

Under the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement between the owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association, Bregman is ineligible for a qualifying offer after receiving one from the Astros last offseason. This time, a prospective team doesn’t have to give up draft compensation to sign Bregman. Looking at our 2025-26 MLB free agent roster, Bregman is clearly the headliner at third base, Eugenio Suarez Represents the next best option. Suarez, 34, has hit 49 home runs this season, matching Bregman’s 125 wRC+, but he’s three years older and has worse defensive ability.

Bregman will likely seek a long-term deal this offseason given market conditions, his ineligibility for another qualifying offer, and his strong performance in a flat season. He reportedly sought a $200 contract early last winter. He turned down a six-year, $15MM offer from the Astros early on and ultimately turned down a six-year, $171.5MM offer from Detroit late in the offseason. Heyman wrote today that Bregman countered with an offer of $1.8MM, then agreed to a shorter deal with Boston at a higher annual rate.

A reunion with the Red Sox is certainly possible, as the team has made trades Raphael Devers to the Giants last June. The team is not over the luxury tax threshold in 2024, according to RosterResource, although they appear on track to exceed this year’s $241MM threshold by a few million dollars. the team will see Steven MatzThis offseason, his $12.5MM salary disappeared from the books. They may also refuse to end Lucas GiolitoThe reciprocal option at $19MM depends on the severity of his recent elbow issues. Liam Hendricks He underwent ulnar nerve transposition surgery in September and may have his $12MM mutual option declined.

If the team maintains a similar salary level in 2026 after making the playoffs this year, the club may try to resign Bregman. The Tigers and Cubs were both interested in Bregman last winter and may be interested in him as well. The Cubs are reportedly only interested in Bregman on a short-term deal, but their current third baseman, Matt Shawshowed promise in his debut this year. By comparison, the Tigers’ third baseman ranked 26th in the majors this year with a 76 wRC+ and would benefit greatly from a player like Bregman. Red Sox could hand over control if Bregman leaves Boston Marcelo Maier Or play for Suarez in free agency.