Boston is very high on Bregman’s list but their GM isn’t a big fan. Any increase by the Astros isn’t likely to be very much. I am sure Boras is hoping someone decides to jump in.
It makes perfect sense that Boston would be high on Bregman’s list. Fenway Park is a great place to hit, it’s a big market team with a lot of resources, and Bregman has a good relationship with their manager Alex Cora. Unfortunately for him, they haven’t been willing to go beyond four years. I also understand why Craig Breslow doesn’t want to give Bregman a long-term deal. They have Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer nearly ready for everyday jobs on their infield at rookie salaries, with Rafael Devers and Tristan Casas at third base and first base.
He won a gold glove and compared to his contemporaries, his production is very much there (if you’re looking at all recently or currently paid 3B). Again, if you were similar to your contemporaries… you’d also feel comparable on a payroll level.
Boston has been penny pinching worse than the most egregious Drayton years, relative to the revenue they bring in. The Mookie Betts trade (salary dump) started off that era. Maybe their ownership group is a stretched a little too thin between Liverpool, the penguins, and the new golf league. The Astros have been outspending them for some time… commensurate to how the Houston media market has completely engulfed the barely top 10 Boston media market.
I’m aware. The Red Sox have been loathe to give out long-term contracts in recent years. They haven’t been operating like a big market team lately.
Well as I said above, they’re not really “big market” anymore. They’ve basically swapped places with the Astros compared to where both markets were in the early 2000’s. Them, the Astros, SF, Atlanta, the Cubs, Blue Jays and Arizona firmly represent baseball’s upper middle class…. Which also features cameos by St. Louis (more just mid), Texas (fluctuates between big and upper middle), and Seattle (more just mid).
At this point, who knows what to believe? You have Ari Alexander saying the Astros increased their offer last week. Tonight Jim Bowden says the Astros and Blue Jays are still involved, but Bob Nightengale goes on SportsRadio 610 and says he doesn’t think the Astros changed their offer last week nor is it even on the table for Bregman to accept.
I think the Astros are the leaders in the clubhouse. Now it's up to someone else to make an offer to overtake them. But how long does Boras give them to do so before caving and going back to Houston.
It’s so stupid. The Bregman coverage should serve as a reminder that what qualifies as “journalism” is mostly garbage in 2025. These reporters are way too willing to be used as puppets by agents and players.
I'm on the sketch boat now. I thought Bregs offer of 6 years was spot on he just wanted to pinch more, but I don't think he wants to come back as much as play for Boston or even Chicago. He definitely knows what team he wants to play for but is not wanting to show his cards yet in hopes of that offer going up more. He hoped the 6 years Astros offered earlier and 6 years Toronto did would soften Boston up but now he's under the gun of accepting either a 4 or 3 year deal only (Even if they are worth $30 mil per). No way he takes a 4/$110 deal if he wanted to be back in Houston. It just wouldn't make sense. Either the Astros deal is not 6/$156 anymore (perhaps they lowered it to 3/$90 and considers the AAV is actually upping the original offer) or Bregs is set on playing elsewhere regardless. Either way, Bregs isn't coming back. Chicago or Boston will be the place and he's deciding if 3 years (maybe $90 mil) to play in Boston where he WANTS to play in is better than 4 years (maybe $110 mil) to play in Chicago where he may not do as well. Either way, he has to have a no trade clause put in with Chicago otherwise he'd be out in a year or two guaranteed. That quite possibly would be the dumbest of the moves to do.
Bregman got greedy… and then got burned. He overplayed his hand. Enjoy playing on a short term deal in Chicago or playing in Detroit where his family’s safety is a concern. Bad decision making by Bregman/Boras. It didn’t have to be this way!
McIlvoy is just regurgitating Olney’s comments from the ESPN article earlier today. How hard is it for local media to pick up the phone and call their sources within the Astros’ organization?
Might as well call Biggio: "we're just taking this offseason one day at a time, you know, playing it the right way, keep putting in the work that lets us win games"
I expect Boras to feed national MLB reporters such as Olney, Passan, Heyman, and Nightengale whatever information he wants, but those in Houston sports media should have contacts within the Astros’ organization that can give them the real scoop. McIlvoy’s tweet is pathetic when you consider he’s the Sports Director at KPRC2.
