Red Sox Linked To $100 Million All-Star As 'Most Logical' Destination By MLB Insider

Will the Red Sox follow through on all these rumors?

Oct 19, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of game four of the 2021 ALCS at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images / Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The search to find the next Boston Red Sox right-handed slugger continues into a new calendar year.

Though the Red Sox have taken care of their starting pitching needs with a flurry of moves so far this winter, their offense is even more lopsided in favor of lefty bats than it was during the season. Tyler O'Neill walked to the Baltimore Orioles, and they've yet to find a big-league-caliber replacement.

Alex Bregman, the former Houston Astros two-time World Series champion, has been one of the biggest names buzzing around Red Sox circles all winter long. Not only is he right-handed, but he has a 1.245 career OPS at Fenway Park, the highest of any hitter in the stadium's history (minimum: 95 plate appearances).

As days continue to pass, it sometimes seems like the Red Sox themselves are the least interested party in the idea of Bregman coming to Boston. Plenty of fans are infatuated with the idea and at a certain point, one wonders if Bregman's delay in signing means he's waiting out the Red Sox.

On Friday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand added to the calls for a Bregman-Red Sox partnership. Feinsand called the Red Sox the "most logical" fit for the two-time All-Star third baseman in a free agency roundup article.

"Perhaps the most logical team for Bregman at this point is the Red Sox, who have addressed their rotation concerns with the signing of Buehler and the trade for Garrett Crochet, but Boston has come up short in its pursuit of an impact bat."

"Triston Casas and Rafael Devers are firmly planted at the corners, so unless Casas is traded and Devers is moved to first base, Bregman could play second base, providing the type of right-handed hitter the Red Sox are looking to add."

The Toronto Blue Jays and Detroit Tigers have been characterized as the favorites for Bregman at various points in the last two weeks. But willfully signing on to play for Toronto when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could be gone in a year is dicey, whereas the Tigers have only given two players nine-figure contracts in team history.

Eventually, the Red Sox and Bregman could be nudged towards each other if the market continues to develop slowly. Put another way, the longer this thing plays out, the more likely it seems that Bregman will find his way to Boston.

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