Could Red Sox Offer 5-Year Deal To Star Free Agent, Avoid 'Worst Case Scenario?'

Is Boston still in this free-agent race?

Oct 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third base Alex Bregman (2) hits a single against the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox's free-agent pursuits haven't budged in over a month. Maybe it's time to make some concessions.

At this point, former Houston Astros third baseman seems to be the Red Sox's last hope to land a star position player, and the odds haven't been looking great. They've only been willing to offer a four-year deal, whereas other teams, like the Astros and Toronto Blue Jays, have gone up to six years.

Hope isn't dead, though. MassLive's Sean McAdam reported last week that Bregman may prefer a fresh start outside of Houston, and isn't pleased with the state of the Astros' farm system. If there's any glimmer of hope for the Red Sox to win the sweepstakes, it could center around their excellent young position player pipeline.

To really maximize their chances of landing Bregman, FanSided's Ryan Markham recently urged the Red Sox to increase their offer past the four-year marker, which might be their only shot at keeping him from the clutches of other American League contenders.

"If the Red Sox want to sign Bregman, a more lengthy deal will have to do," Markham wrote. "Obviously there are risks with bringing in a 30-plus year old on a contract of that length, but the Red Sox have the money to do it."

"Bregman going to an AL contender like the Tigers, Blue Jays or back to the Astros would be the worst case scenario for Boston, and if the Red Sox offer doesn't increase in length, that is the most realistic scenario."

Though concerns about how Bregman will age are valid, there are ways to make a five-year contract work. Masataka Yoshida's contract could be easier to trade next winter, which would also allow the Red Sox to move Bregman back to third base and Rafael Devers to become the designated hitter.

Maybe it's a long shot at this point that the Red Sox will budge from their stance on Bregman's value. But the outside pressure to make a major signing will only grow louder as long as the two-time All-Star remains on the market.

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