Alex Bregman could be the next infielder to come off the market. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported on First Up with Korolnek and Colaiacovo (audio courtesy of YouTuber and podcaster Robbie Hyde) that the Boston Red Sox have made an “aggressive offer” to retain their third baseman.
Boston radio host Marino Pepén reports that the Red Sox have given Bregman a five-year, $160 million offer. Pepén tweets, “currently, it’s the most competitive offer”.
Bregman’s free agency has a downstream effect on the Arizona Diamondbacks and three-time All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte.
The Diamondbacks’ Interest in Alex Bregman
The Diamondbacks have been tangentially linked to Bregman for a while. The former Astros and Red Sox third baseman lives in Scottsdale in the offseason. The Diamondbacks signed Corbin Burnes under a similar situation a year ago. However, it’s worth noting that the team’s payroll situation is different and Burnes was the top free-agent starter last winter.
John Gambadoro of Burns & Gambo on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reported that the Diamondbacks’ ability to sign Bregman was “1000%” tied to their ability to trade Ketel Marte. Gambadoro handicapped the chance that Arizona inks the 31-year-old infielder as a “long shot” unless his price comes down. If Bregman has $160 million on the table, then the Diamondbacks don’t have the budget to sign him.
Bregman coming off the market also increases the likelihood that Arizona holds onto their All-Star second baseman, even if only marginally. The idea was that Bregman could help compensate for the loss of Marte in the lineup. The dropoff would have been small enough that the pitchers acquired in a Marte trade would make the team better.
Marte has been one of the best hitters in MLB the past three years. His 140 wRC+ since 2023 is higher than both Kyle Schwarber (135) and Pete Alonso (128), who both got five-year free-agent deals in excess of $150 million. Marte is under contract for $91 million, with deferrals lowering the present-day value to $73 million. Since he is a bargain compared to other notable sluggers, it makes sense for teams to inquire about
Recapping Ketel Marte Trade Rumors
The Diamondbacks have shopped Marte this offseason, in hopes of getting the impact pitching they need to contend in 2026. Arizona has ranked 26th in ERA (4.56) the past two seasons, short-circuiting their attempts to return to the postseason following a World Series run in 2023. The club has not received such an offer despite at least five teams still showing interest as of December 31, according to Gambadoro.
Marte has been one of the best hitters in MLB the past three years. His 140 wRC+ since 2023 is higher than both Kyle Schwarber (135) and Pete Alonso (128), who both got five-year free-agent deals in excess of $150 million. Marte is under contract for $91 million, with $41 million in deferrals lowering the present-day value to $73 million. Since he is a bargain compared to other notable sluggers, teams have inquired about his availability.
The Red Sox were one of those teams, although it’s unclear what was discussed between the two clubs. They’ve pulled out of discussions following the Willson Contreras deal. In discussions with the Tampa Bay Rays, Shane Baz and Ryan Pepiot were involved. The Seattle Mariners also inquired about a Marte reunion, with the ask being “an established MLB starting pitcher plus multiple high-level prospects,” according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times.
The unfortunate part about shopping Marte around has been that their entire offseason depends on the return. They have needs at first base, the bullpen, and the outfield. However, they cannot address those needs until after they decide to keep or trade their best hitter.
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