MLB insider outlines possible ‘big money’ contract Red Sox offered Alex Bregman

Boston Red Sox

“The Boston Red Sox want Bregman and have signaled a willingness to pay him big money.”

By Hayden Bird

January 6, 2026 | 1:51 PM

1 minute to read

Like a slow-roller down the third base line, Red Sox fans continue to wait and see if free agent Alex Bregman will go fair or foul.

The 31-year-old infielder might still re-sign with Boston after opting out of his deal following the 2025 season, but there’s also a possibility that he could head elsewhere.

Exactly where things stand at this precise moment with the veteran All-Star depends on which MLB expert seems to be speaking.

On Tuesday, ESPN baseball insiders Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers gave their updated perspectives on the matter. Olney continued his recent line of reporting — having stated earlier in January that Boston made an “aggressive offer” to Bregman — by outlining a prospective contract.

“The Boston Red Sox want Bregman and have signaled a willingness to pay him big money,” wrote Olney, “perhaps something in the range of what the Tigers offered him last spring, a six-year, $171.5 million deal.”

Rogers explained that the Blue Jays’ recent signing of Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto could help Boston’s chances of bringing back Bregman.

“There was a feeling among some in the industry that Bregman was down to Toronto and Arizona and when Kazuma Okamoto signed with the Blue Jays, it would push Bregman to the Diamondbacks,” Rogers reported. “Those same people also believed the Red Sox would indeed hang around until the end, seeing how Bregman’s market would develop. Many believe the two sides — Boston and Bregman — need each other, given the leadership and production he supplied for the Red Sox last season.”

Still, not all MLB insiders concur. FanSided’s Robert Murray remains skeptical of the Red Sox approach.

“Going to Bregman here,” Murray offered in a recent “Baseball Insiders” episode. “You have the Red Sox. I still have not gotten confirmation on that Red Sox report about making an ‘aggressive’ offer. I know he’s got a good market, that’s what I’ve been told.”

Murray nonetheless reaffirmed that Boston could be Bregman’s choice.

“The Red Sox to me make the most sense here, I’ve stated all the reasons before,” he added. “Offense, defense, locker room, like everything. They love him.”