Bregman will have the option to opt out after the 2025 and 2026 seasons to become a free agent once again. The likely shift will see him move from third base to second, as the Red Sox already have All-Star Rafael Devers at third.
Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet, a former White Sox player, expressed his excitement about the signing, saying, “I texted him right when it went through last night. I just couldn’t be more fired up to have him here… He’s an absolute baseball rat, loves the game, and works hard. His pedigree speaks for itself — a couple of World Series titles, a Gold Glove last year, he’s still at the top of his game.”
The Chicago Cubs were one of the finalists for Bregman’s services, with ESPN’s Jeff Passan reporting that they offered him a four-year, $120 million deal.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who was Houston’s bench coach during the 2017 season, compared Bregman to former Boston star Dustin Pedroia. Cora reflected on his experiences with Bregman, noting that both he and other Astros staff members received second chances after the sign-stealing scandal. “That is a person I really like,” Cora said.
Bregman, a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, is coming off one of his lesser offensive seasons. He hit .260 with 26 home runs and 75 RBIs in his final year of a $100 million, five-year contract, but earned his first Gold Glove.
He has 19 postseason home runs, tied for sixth in MLB history. Bregman was selected by Houston as the second overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft and made his MLB debut the following year, finishing with a .284 batting average, 19 home runs, 71 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in 2017.
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