Red Sox Predicted To Win Blockbuster Bidding War For $187 Million 2-Time All-Star

Will Craig Breslow finally land his big fish?

Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There's a central question bubbling under the surface of this Boston Red Sox offseason: Will Craig Breslow win a bidding war for a big-name free agent?

The second-year Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer already made one big move this winter, acquiring ace Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox. But while it's never easy to part with top prospects, one never knows how much competition was involved.

If Breslow can land a marquee free agent, who's guaranteed to have other suitors, there will be a much different tone to this winter. The Red Sox still have plenty of holes to fill--namely, the lack of a big right-handed bat, and there's still time to go out and do it.

On Tuesday, ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted that the Red Sox would sign Alex Bregman, the long-time Houston Astros third baseman, to a six-year, $187 million contract, which would be the largest deal they've handed out in eight years.

"The Red Sox don't need a third baseman... but they undoubtedly find this stat hard to ignore: Among players with at least 95 regular-season plate appearances at Fenway (Park), Bregman has the highest OPS," Schoenfield said. "He has hit .375/.490/.750 in 21 games at Fenway."

"Red Sox manager Alex Cora, a coach with Houston in 2017, has reportedly reached out to Bregman -- and no doubt tried to convince him of Boston's bright future with all its young talent. For a player who has made eight consecutive trips to the postseason, that's an enticing pitch."

Bregman, 30, has a long track record of success, from his two All-Star appearances to his two World Series rings, to his 2024 Gold Glove. He didn't have a great overall season, but his numbers ticked up in a big way after the All-Star break, coinciding with a huge series at Fenway in August.

The path to getting Bregman into the Red Sox lineup is tricky, They could play him at third base, shift Rafael Devers off the position, and trade one of Triston Casas or Masataka Yoshida. Or they could play him at second base, which would take away a starting opportunity from Vaughn Grissom and Kristian Campbell.

Will Boston sign Bregman? The answer may come down to how big Breslow is willing to go to secure one of the big fish.

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