The Alex Bregman saga is far over! The Cubs are the latest contender in his sweepstakes, with reports of them offering a four-year deal to Bregman. While the amount offered is not disclosed, it is said to have multiple opt-out options, as asked by his agent Scott Boras previously. The Cubs’ contention got more interesting because the Astros GM Dana Brown confirmed about bowing out of Bregman. So, is Alex Bregman heading to the Cubs this season? 

No concrete news is available if Bregman is making the move, but insiders are suspicious about how much Bregman will find success with the Cubs. The main reason is that Wrigley Field is the home ground of the Cubs, and its dimensions and weather conditions are said to be detrimental for right-handed batters like Bregman. Hence, playing there might cause a dip in his performance. 

The Cubs’ contention for Bregman 

A player like Alex Bregman still in free agency is surprising, to say the least, and any team will try to make a move to land him. Similarly, the Cubs have made a last-minute offer for four years. However, the recent update about the Astros’ getting away from Bregman and their GM’s admission of not having any direct contact with Scott Boras made the Cubs make the move. Reportedly, another hot contender for Bregman, the Red Sox, is also moving away from him considering that they are again re-engaged with the Cardinals for Nolan Arenado. With competition coming down, an offer made by the Cubs seems to be a go-to for Bregman. 

However, an MLB insider considers the Cubs as the imperfect choice for Alex Bregman. In a podcast with Buster Olney over Spotify, Jesse Rogers said, “He should avoid the Chicago Cubs at all cost….the primary reason is that the environment,” pointing to how the different environment at Wrigley Field can be detrimental to Bregman’s performance. Wrigley Field has the tallest fence height among all the ballparks in MLB, and that is costing home runs. With such a taller fence, it is increasingly difficult for the batters to hit the maximum. Moreover, the weather there is also pitcher-friendly, and air pressure helps in better-swinging throws, which mainly gets challenging for right-handed hitters like Bregman. 

Opportunities narrowing down 

Opportunities are narrowing down for both the Cubs and Bregman. The Cubs are still in search of catchers, a bullpen, and some added power to their batting. Bregman comes with the right equation for the Cubs to add more power but also comes with a cost. Currently, the Cubs are close to the luxury tax threshold, and they will not be willing to go over for Bregman. Moreover, their field condition is also not making a strong case for Bregman, leaving the Cubs with very minimum options in the free agency who can be landed with low-cost offers. 

For Alex Bregman, the situation is much worse with both the top contenders for him moving away. As per the latest reports, it is very clear that the Red Sox and Astros are looking for other options, and the Blue Jays have already moved away. Thus, Bregman is now left with the Cubs, even though the $156 million initial offer from the Astros is still there. If the Cubs are offering a better amount for a four-year deal and coming with multiple opt-outs, things can be difficult for Bregman to reject.

Nevertheless, the Cubs took a few risks in offering a late deal to Bregman at the right time when other contenders were moving away. What do you think about Wrigley Field’s challenge for Bregman? Share your thoughts with us below.