The Boston Red Sox have third baseman Alex Bregman on their radar. But despite showing confidence in him, the team hasn’t made a move yet. So what’s stopping them from deciding on this signing? Well, according to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox are planning to negotiate more with him. They are on hold, given that the team wants to wait for the decision made by the two-time World Series Champion.

Bregman’s potential as a right-handed slugger is massive, but as for the Red Sox, they are reluctant to proceed considering the lack of interest from other teams. However, this reluctance might pave the way for other teams to pursue Bregman. The two-time All-Star legend has come off a 4-WAR season with the Houston Astros, emerging as the Gold Glove third baseman and given that.768 OPS doesn’t look good in his career average of.848, the Red Sox’s manager, Alex Cora, has placed massive faith in him.

However, the crux of this matter lies in his contract desires, which are reportedly a hefty $200 million, seven-year contract—the Red Sox aren’t willing to pay him that amount. On January 14, Rosenthal said on the Foul Territory, “I believe what’s happening is that the Red Sox are simply saying, We don’t think he’s going to Toronto; we don’t think Detroit is going to sign him. We’re going to take our chances that no one else will, and we are going to leverage this and negotiate as hard as possible.” He further added that the Red Sox do not want to commit to Alex for a longer term. But then, what exactly are they trying to do?

The Boston team reportedly wants to capitalize on the perceived lack of interest among the other teams for Alex Bregman, and there is more to how they can position themselves in a potential discussion with him regarding the contract. However, this cautious approach to signing Bregman can cause hindrance in their strategic approach, further delaying a mutual agreement. Although the final result cannot cause changes to the roster composition, the risky ‘leverage’ might open up doors for teams like the Detroit Tigers to make a move.

The Detroit Tigers hint at an outside chance of getting Alex Bregman

The Detroit Tigers and Alex Bregman have had talks over the months. Although it’s unclear of getting him on board, as per reports, Bregman declined a six-year, $156 million contract from the Houston Astros. Given that the Tigers made a deal above $100 million only once, that too in 2021—a six-year, $140 million contract with Javier Baez—signing Bregman looks unlikely. However, they haven’t called it off yet.

There’s a good chance of him ending up in the Tigers jersey if the front office and ownership are willing to fulfill his financial demands. But the problem lies in their third baseman, Jace Jung, who has a solid start at the Majors. Jung managed to slash .241/.362/.304/.665 in his 34 games, giving him a guaranteed spot in the team, which further reduces the chances of signing Alex. However, a surprising revelation has come into the spotlight.

Now, two major free agents are looking to go for short-term contracts, as those have higher annual values. With the spring training to begin soon, should Alex Bregman also adjust his financial demands to find a suitable team, given that his sweepstakes are shrinking gradually? Or do you think the Red Sox will finally get him? Share your thoughts in the comments below.