Alex Bregman Picks Boston

From The April 2025 Issue of Yawkey Way Report. Written by Roy Herman

As Boston moves into the 2025 season, the farm system has been plentiful and is ripened with future stars awaiting their turns at the roster. Former President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom set the Sox up well with drafting and restocking the farm system. But fans have been longing for a big splash in free agency to help this team get back to the postseason. The bar is too high year after year for long term rebuilds and fans want to get back to winning. The glare of the 2018 season is starting to get further in the rear-view mirror. 

This team needed a veteran leader to help the kids along and needed a right-hand power hitter to replace the departed Tyler O’Neill who signed with Baltimore. Past teams had Dustin Pedroia and Jason Varitek that were strong voices and influences in the clubhouse. Enter former World Series Champion, Rawlings Gold Glove winner and Silver Slugger award winner Alex Bregman. Bregman chose Boston after being courted by the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs that had the same needs as Boston and needed a third basemen.

Bregman brings a career .272 batting average and pop to Fenway that will be well suited for the Green Monster. He seems to fit the mold of former beloved leader Dustin Pedroia. Dustin was 5’9 and a dirt dog. He was a scrappy guy who had power but wanted to win more than anyone else and kept everyone on their P’s and Q’s when needed. Often the first and last guy in the clubhouse played hurt because he didn’t want to let the team down. Both men, Alex is slightly taller and 6’0, have those same characteristics. Alex sometimes has been deemed tough to play with, but intensity and wanting to win often gets mistaken for being difficult. Alex did great things in Houston and at age 32, still has enough in the tank to be productive. He signed a three-year deal with opt outs after 2025 and 2026 to retest the market if he wants.

Alex Bregman with the Astros played for current Manager Alex Cora, so that was a plus for him in wanting to play here along with the ballpark friendly Green Monster. He had other suitors, but Boston had more to offer him in the end. He will be a good replacement for Tyler O’Neill, but where will he play? The Sox have Rafael Devers who signed a ten-year deal and was promised by the previous regime that he would stay on the hot corner. The problem is Rafael’s defensive metrics have been hurting the team. With his large frame and shoulder injuries over the past few years, it would make perfect sense for Devers to be a long time DH. It worked out pretty good for David “Big Papi” Ortiz making the Hall of Fame. Being in his 20s, Devers feels he still wants to play third. It would be best for Bregman with his Gold Glove to play third. It will be up to Cora to be able to work the situation out, so stay tuned.

Bregman is such a good fielder and athlete. He can play second base and fill a gap there since Vaughn Grissom hasn’t proved to be the answer coming over from the trade from Atlanta in the Chris Sale trade. Kristian Campbell is the white elephant in the room. He is a top prospect and will be knocking on the door for the spot. He can also go to the outfield, but time and the conversation with Devers will need to happen. Meanwhile, whether Bregman plays third, second, DH, he will be a fantastic addition and will provide the right-handed power and leadership in the locker room. He will hold players and coaches even accountable which during a long 162 game season will be valuable.

Despite where Bregman will play, he will do his job and produce. Bregman went to Louisiana State University and had a line of .337 batting along with 56 doubles, 10 triples, 21 HR, 148 RBI, 153 runs and 66 steals in three seasons played. During his 2015 junior season, was a First-Team All-American, Gold Glove Award winner and a Golden Spikes Award finalist. Bregman has been very accommodating and willing to play anywhere and again, the Sox have Cora as the steady hand as Manager. This spring, Cora has said that you just must be honest with players and do the right things for the team. The team must be always first and egos and personal goals must come secondary. It was a huge coup for Boston to get Bregman because Detroit looked to be the favorite all off season.

Going to Detroit would’ve been ideal for Bregman as he played for A.J. Hinch and would’ve been guaranteed to play third base. He said Boston swooped in and stole him away at the last minute with a higher AAV or Average Annual Value being higher with the opt out if he feels he can get a better deal elsewhere. Cora also helped him too. Boston has brighter lights as a media market and is more poised to win now than in Detroit. It goes without saying, but who wouldn’t want to play in a historic sports crazed city like Boston if you are an extravert and love the spotlight? Bregman fits the mold, and his character speaks for itself by not getting involved with a war of words with Devers or the media about why he should play third. That’s a veteran being professional and showing leadership that Devers could pick up and use as a future leader. He can help the other heralded prospects like Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell break in. Hopefully, he can also help push Trevor Story to regain his form and be a mentor too for Vaughn Grisson to return to his Atlanta form.