Alex Bregman might be heading to the North Side, but there’s a catch – the Cubs aren’t looking to make a long-term commitment to the star third baseman.
The two-time World Series champ is still unsigned as spring training gets underway. His former team, the Houston Astros, seems to have moved on, with GM Dana Brown already speaking about Bregman in the past tense.
That’s opened the door for the Cubs, but they’re facing a significant hurdle in negotiations. Bob Nightengale reports that Chicago isn’t willing to go beyond three years, while Bregman’s already got at least one six-year offer on the table.
The 30-year-old third baseman is coming off a solid 2024 campaign where he hit .260/.315/.453 with 26 homers and 75 RBI. His 4.1 WAR shows he’s still an impact player, even if he’s not quite at his peak anymore.
What makes this interesting is the Cubs’ approach. They’re clearly interested in adding Bregman’s bat to their lineup – they’re still talking with his agent Scott Boras – but they’re not looking to get into a bidding war on years. It’s a strategy we’ve seen from them before, preferring shorter deals with higher annual values.
The way things are shaping up, Bregman might need to decide between a longer contract elsewhere or betting on himself with a shorter, more lucrative deal. That’s where the Cubs could still have a shot, though it’s not looking like their preferred path right now.
For a Cubs team that’s trying to contend in the NL Central, Bregman would be a perfect fit. He’s a proven playoff performer who’d bring both power and experience to the hot corner. But unless something changes in the negotiations, they might end up as just another team that kicked the tires on one of this offseason’s top remaining free agents.
