The Cubs might have a real shot at landing Alex Bregman, with the star third baseman’s free-agent market not quite developing as expected. After initially seeking north of $200 million this winter, Bregman’s options seem to be narrowing – and Chicago’s in the mix.
The Cubs are interested in bringing in the two-time All-Star on a short-term deal, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. It’s an interesting possibility, especially since Bregman would reunite with his former Astros teammate Kyle Tucker in Chicago’s lineup.
What makes this intriguing is how the market’s shaped up. The Astros weren’t willing to meet Bregman’s initial asking price, and now there’s a real chance the Cubs could land him at a more team-friendly number. Cameron Maybin, speaking on Foul Territory, thinks Chicago’s got the edge over another suitor, the Detroit Tigers.
“If I’m Alex Bregman, would you rather be on the Tigers’ roster? Protection matters,” Maybin said. “I love Riley Greene. Who’s hitting behind him? Who would you rather have hitting behind you? Kyle Tucker.”
Bregman’s still got plenty left in the tank. He’s entering his age-31 season with an impressive 39.6 WAR through nine big-league seasons. Last year, he posted a .768 OPS with 26 homers – and he really turned it on in the second half with 19 of those long balls.
Spotrac’s projecting a four-year, $119 million deal for Bregman. That’s quite a drop from his initial ask, but the Cubs are thinking even shorter term. If no other team steps up with a bigger offer, Chicago might just find themselves with an All-Star third baseman at a price that works for both sides.
The way things are trending, this could be exactly the kind of market inefficiency the Cubs could exploit to bolster their chances in a winnable NL Central. They’re already a competitive team – adding Bregman could be the piece that puts them over the top.
