Could the Chicago Cubs be a possible landing spot for 2x World Series Champion Alex Bregman?
Rumors, rumors, rumors, that’s the news of the day again for the Chicago Cubs with them being a part of more rumors speculating them being in on possible free agents. This new rumor that the Cubs appear to be involved in comes from the New York Posts Jon Heyman during a podcast in which he speculated the Cubs being in on free agent All-Star Alex Bregman.
The future Hall of Famer Alex Bregman
The 30-year-old Alex Bregman has had an outstanding career so far since being drafted in the first round, second overall by the Houston Astros out of Louisiana State University in the 2015 June Amateur Draft. Alex Bregman in his career has been more than the Houston Astros could’ve every asked for from someone who was drafted and played shortstop for his whole career with then being asked upon being drafted to make the transition to third base which he did with ease, as the Houston Astros had Carlos Correea playing shortstop at the time.
In what I would describe as a “Hall of Fame career” Alex Bregman has played in 1111 career games, collecting 1132 hits, 265 doubles, 18 triples, 191 HRs, 663 RBI, with a career slash line of .272/.366/.483 for an OPS and OPS+ of .848 and 132. Alex Bregman to his credit to being a great offensive player Bregman has been one of the top third basemen defensively for his whole career winning his first Gold Glove award last season, which to me is shocking.
In his walk year, Alex Bregman put up another banner season with playing in 145 games, having 151 hits, 30 doubles, 2 triples, 26 HRs, 75 RBI, with a slash line of .260/.315/.453 with an OPS and OPS+ of .768 and 118. A very respectable season which should have netted him a lucrative and long-term deal when he hit free agency this winter. Sadly, that has not happed for Alex Bregman whose only suitor so far, his former club the Houston Astros being the only team to offer him a contract which they offered him a six-year $156 million deal which is far from what he or his agent Scott Boras are seeking.
The contract for Alex Bregman
The contract that both Alex Bregman and his agent Scott Boras are seeking is closer to the $200 million range which not anywhere the Houston Astros are willing to meet. According to Spotrac Bregman’s market value is more in the range of five-year $127.25 million deal which would be similar to that of San Francisco Giants third basemen Matt Chapman signed. Even though Alex Bregman is a really great player, and like I said I believe he will be a future Hall of Famer when it’s all said and done, is worth more of where his market value is, rather than what Scott Boras believe he is owed.
Could the Chicago Cubs be a viable option for Alex Bregman?
During a recent podcast the New York Post Jon Heyman revealed his thoughts on where third basemen Alex Bregman could end up this off season and he mentioned the Chicago Cubs as being a possibly landing spot saying that he:
“wouldn’t be shocked”
if the Cubs did sign Alex Bregman this off season.
Current options at Third Base
Now, I don’t know about you, but I would be pretty shocked if the Chicago Cubs were in fact able to land Alex Bregman, though it wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Chicago Cubs if they did. Currently the Cubs have a need over at third base and plan to have top prospect Matt Shaw compete for the starting job along with infielder Gage Workman who the Cubs acquired in the Rule 5 Draft, as well as newly acquired utility-man Vidal Bruján.
Currently Matt Shaw has the inside track to win the starting third base job out of spring training with the Cubs wanting to start playing some of their prospects this season to see what they have. However, just because Shaw is a top prospect doesn’t mean he will succeed out of the gate. Signing someone like Alex Bregman, yes would be expensive, but he has a track record of success, and more importantly he is a proven winner.
The Cubs do have an edge over most teams who would like to acquire Bregmans services with having his former teammate when he was with the Houston Astros Kyle Tucker on their roster. Having Tucker on the roster if the Cubs were in fact able to sign Bregman would give him some level of comfort with coming to a new city giving him at least one familiar face he knows.
The Chicago Cubs also have a need at the current moment over at second base with Nico Hoerner recovering from off season surgery and his timetable for return still not yet reported. Signing Bregman would be the best option the Chicago Cubs have to fill the void until Hoerner’s return. And if Shaw doesn’t pan out right away and has to be sent back to so he can make the necessary adjustment, having Alex Bregman on the roster to move over to third would be an excellent insurance policy.
Even though this is still just speculation and nothing concrete has come out definitively linking the Chicago Cubs and Alex Bregman together, but if the Cubs can indeed swing a deal and land Alex Bregman, that they truly will have one of the best rosters in all of Major League Baseball for 2025.
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