MLB Insider: Where do things stand for Alex Bregman and Cubs in free agency?

After Pete Alonso re-signed with the New York Mets, the clear best remaining free agent is infielder Alex Bregman.

All offseason, Bregman’s market has remained a mystery. The Houston Astros were long rumored to be the favorite, and general manager Dana Brown further fueled those rumors when he said at the General Manager Meetings that the team was in contact with Scott Boras and optimistic on a deal to bring Bregman back to Houston.

Instead, the Astros made a significant offer to Bregman, and the star infielder and Boras declined it. The Astros then pivoted to Christian Walker and kept the door open on a Bregman return, but admitted such was a “longshot” at best. Recently, Brown told the Houston media that the team “lost” Bregman, all but signaling that he will play elsewhere in 2025 and beyond.

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So where does Alex Bregman’s market stand now?

Social media buzz has connected Bregman and the Cubs in recent days, and the fit makes sense. The Cubs can slot Bregman into the infield and take some of the pressure off top prospect Matt Shaw, who will surely debut in 2025. It also could make infielder Nico Hoerner expendable on the trade market and either help net the Cubs prospects or pieces to bolster the major-league roster.

But nothing has been, or is close, between Bregman and the Cubs. The two sides have talked, yes, and the Cubs like Bregman. He is likely intrigued by the fact he’d play with a contending team and on a roster that features Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly, two of his teammates with the Houston Astros.

But a deal between Bregman and the Cubs is not imminent, and there’s still a chance that another team could swoop in. Among the other teams mentioned have been the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. 

The Tigers have liked Bregman all offseason. Talks at one point stalled between the two sides, but the interest remained from Detroit. With the Tigers, Bregman would be reunited with A.J. Hinch, his manager in Houston, and on an ascending American League playoff threat.

The Red Sox have Alex Cora, who was Bregman’s bench coach in Houston. But there has been little to suggest that there has been any progress on a contract whatsoever this offseason. Of course, Sam Kennedy told reporters: “I’m not allowed to talk about any specific free agent negotiations or anything, but given that he’s unsigned, I think that speaks for itself.”

What that means, I don’t know. But that could describe the Red Sox’s plan for the last few offseasons.

What is clear, however, is we’re not close to a Bregman resolution. Where he ends up remains a mystery, but with the Astros seemingly out of the sweepstakes, that leaves the Cubs or Tigers - or potentially a mystery team - in line to swoop him out of Houston.