The prospects of Alex Bregman signing with the Red Sox are still good … with a catch.
The good news is that Boston is currently considered a favorite to sign Bregman, according to baseball insider Bob Nightingale. The less good news? The Sox are considered “co-favorites” … with the Detroit Tigers.
While it seems almost inevitable that 1B Pete Alonso returns to the Mets, the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox loom as co-favorites for 3B Alex Bregman with no movement in Astros talks.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 31, 2025
That checks out with other reporting on Bregman to the Sox earlier this offseason. Boston’s brass wants Bregman, but clearly on their own terms. And they are reportedly willing to wait him on and call his bluff that he doesn’t really want to sign in Detroit.
Generally speaking, that’s a bet the Sox should win most times. Even as Boston’s commitment to fielding a winning baseball team year in and year out has waned, it’s still a more attractive baseball destination for most than the Motor City.
As is now well documented, I’ve made clear my feelings on that being a weak way to approach a major area of need on your team. But the Sox are who they are at this point. We can (and I will) continue to call them out on that, but from an analytical standpoint, we have to acknowledge that this is just their MO right now.
So, it’s a win-win for those of you who are lukewarm on Bregman — which I know is a good number of you. Either the Sox wind up signing Bregman at their number, or they let him walk and you avoid a multi-year deal with a mid-30s slugger coming off elbow surgery.
Fenway (South) bound
The time is now for Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell.
Boston’s newly-shuffled “Big 3” all got the call to the majors in the form of non-roster spring training invitations.
Additionally, the Sox extended Fort Myers invites to infielder/outfielder Abraham Toro, catchers Nathan Hickey and Mark Kolozsvary; and pitchers Jovani Moran, Brian Van Belle, and Jacob Webb.
While the dust has not yet settled on the Sox’s offseason moves (we think, maybe…), the current roster situation tells me that none of the three will be on the Opening Day roster when all is said and done.
Anthony seems to be the most major league-ready, with Campbell seemingly close behind. Mayer is coming off an injury-riddled season and probably needs the most seasoning of the bunch offensively.
But the numbers game is the numbers game. Anthony is competing for a spot that currently just isn’t there, barring an injury. Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu appear firmly entrenched as the outfield trio.
There’s always the potential the Sox wind up moving Rafaela around between short and center field again. That could certainly create room for Anthony, but that also implies there’s a permanent spot open in the infield — and there currently isn’t.
Currently, the Sox’s infield consists of Rafael Devers at third base, Trevor Story at short, likely Vaughn Grissom (perhaps Bregman?) at second and Triston Casas at first. Story is still the better day one option than Mayer (until the next injury) and Grissom’s slight seniority likely blocks Campbell’s path for now.
As for Mayer, he’s reportedly willing to be flexible — telling the team he’s “available to play anywhere in the infield” via Audacity’s Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. Mayer also said he’s been taking reps at second and third this offseason, which is certainly intriguing.
On the whole, you can’t predict injuries, and maybe it will shake out that all three find a spot. More likely than not, however, I’d imagine that we’ll only get a taste of the Big 3 before they all start the season in Worcester…
In on Scherzer?
Guess what? The Red Sox showed interest in signing a former All-Star before he ultimately signed somewhere else.
Let me help you pick your jaw up off the floor…
Before Max Scherzer and his three Cy Young Awards became the newest member of the Blue Jays, it appears Boston was kicking the tires on the eight-time All-Star and two-time World Series winner.
A Sports Illustrated report indicates the Sox were among teams who scouted Scherzer at one of his recent workouts. Ultimately, they must not have been impressed… or that $15 1/2 million was too rich for their blood.
Either way, it’s a piece of news to make you raise an eyebrow. The Sox’s rotation has seemed pretty firmly set after the additions of Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler. Where would Scherzer even have fit?
Perhaps the Sox were eyeing a role out of the bullpen, or maybe part of that proposed six-man rotation nonsense. No matter how you slice it, it didn’t seem like a realistic fit at this stage. At the outset of the offseason, when we weren’t sure if the Sox would spend any significant money at all, signing Scherzer would have seemed like much more of a likely outcome.
Now? I honestly would have been annoyed if the Sox were willing to spring that kind of money on another starter, but not to bring in another reliever that they actually need…