The Boston Red Sox have had a very bumpy start to the 2025 season, but none of that can be laid at the feet of third baseman Alex Bregman. The two-time All-Star took his sweet time signing a three-year, $120 million deal with Boston in February, but he's hit the ground running since, posting a team-best .955 OPS to go with 11 homers, 35 RBI and his typically strong defense at the hot corner. He's been, unequivocally, the best position player so far for a Red Sox team that's needed every bit of that production.
He also might not be long for his new city. That three-year deal came with an opt-out after the first season, meaning Bregman can test free agency again in a few months if he so chooses. His scorching start to the year makes that seem increasingly likely — as does the fact that his agent is Scott Boras.
Boras appeared on Tuesday's episode of NESN's "310 to Left" podcast, and he delivered a vintage Boras performance. There was some optimism for those looking for it, hinting that an extension wasn't out of the question: “Alex and Reagan (Bregman's wife) have to make those decisions about how they would want to entertain any actions by the Red Sox,” Boras said. “My philosophy is that I always leave that an open door."
Of course, an open door is only so good if the person isn't willing to walk through it. And it wasn't long before Boras made clear where his own preference lies.
"The qualifying offer limits the markets for really great players,” Boras said. “We’ve seen with (Matt) Chapman, with (Blake) Snell, with (Carlos) Correa, when you remove the qualifying offer, the true value of the player is then exhibited in the market, because there are vastly more teams involved in the free agent negotiation because great free agent players come to you and you also get to reserve your draft pick.”
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Scott Boras sows doubt about Alex Bregman's future in Boston
Bregman, famously, had a qualifying offer attached to him in free agency last season, one of several reasons why he remained on the market for as long as he did — players who reject a qualifying offer will cost whichever team then signs them a pick in the next MLB Draft. That's not nothing, as we've seen with everyone from Bregman to Pete Alonso in recent years.
This time around, however, will be different. Players can only be extended a qualifying offer once, meaning that, if Bregman chooses to opt out and test the market again this winter, he'll do so unencumbered. He'll also do so coming off a career year, at least if he keeps up his current numbers. Bregman's age (he just turned 31 in March) will continue to give teams pause as they weigh a long-term contract, but his production at the plate right now speaks for itself. Boras is already laying the groundwork, and you can bet he's watching Bregman's success with dollar signs in his eyes.
And that could spell trouble for Boston. The team made abundantly clear that it doesn't view Rafael Devers as its long-term answer at third base. They have young talent everywhere else along the infield in Triston Casas, Kristian Campbell and top shortstop prospect Marcelo Mayer, but the hot corner remains very much up in the air. Craig Breslow would no doubt love for Bregman to remove that question mark for good, but that requires convincing Boras to play ball.