New reason for Cubs-Alex Bregman skepticism shows Jed Hoyer hasn't changed a bit

As the Alex Bregman sweepstakes in free agency has continued on deeper into the winter than many expected, the Chicago Cubs seemingly emerged as a surprise suitor in the proceedings. While the club could give top prospect Matt Shaw his real opportunity at third base following Isaac Paredes' departure for Houston in the Kyle Tucker trade, Bregman reuniting with Tucker seemed like a dream.

It just might not be Jed Hoyer's dream for the Cubs — or at least not a dream that he appears to be strongly convicted about.

According to Cubs insider Bruce Levine during an appearance on 670 The Score, Chicago was one of the preferred choices for Bregman along with "New York", which we can assume to mean the Mets given the reporting on the infielder's free agency to this point. However, Hoyer is playing his usual brand of frustrating hardball, perhaps unnecessarily.

As we know, reports have widely stated that Bregman is looking for a five-year deal at minimum, but Hoyer and the Cubs, according to Levine, have not been interested in anything more than a 1-to-3-year pact with the free agent.

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Jed Hoyer hasn't changed his stripes, hurting Cubs in Alex Bregman pursuit

Since taking the reins in Wrigleyville, Hoyer has not been shy about the fact that he doesn't want the Cubs to overextend themselves and get in trouble. In fact, just this past season, he admitted freely that he would describe himself as "risk-averse" when it comes to longer-term contracts with players, which didn't sit well with fans at the time.

However, we've already seen Chicago and Hoyer take one pretty major risk this offseason in the Tucker trade. Considering that the outfielder is a free agent after this season and seems unlikely, as of now, to sign an extension before he enters the open market, trading prospects and part of your lineup for a player that could be gone in a year is undeniably a risk.

As a result of that, there may have been at least a modicum of optimism that Hoyer could be changing that way of thinking at least slightly. In this case, that would mean being willing to get a little bit more uncomfortable with Bregman and the length of a potential contract in the interest of potentially building a contender, especially in a wide-open NL Central race.

That doesn't seem to be the case, though. It's the same misguided thinking that's currently hindering Craig Breslow and the Boston Red Sox and it's also affecting the Cubs, apparently. Maybe that changes but, considering the tone of how Hoyer and Chicago are currently approaching Bregman, it seems safe to say that the dream of the reunion with Tucker is far less likely than otherwise.