Somewhere between the Fenway shadows and the winter meetings whispers, Alex Bregman is about to become the next name on every contender’s whiteboard.
The veteran infielder, now 31, will reportedly opt out of his deal with the Red Sox, according to The New York Post, and test the free-agent waters again. And this time, the market might be ready for him.
It’s not hard to see why. Even with a strained quad that cost him nearly two months, Bregman still pieced together a season that felt vintage — a .273/.360/.462 line, 18 homers, 28 doubles, and an OPS+ of 128. He made his third All-Star team and finished with 3.5 WAR in just 114 games. On a rate basis, it was his best offensive showing since 2022.
That’s not just bounce-back territory. That’s bet-on-yourself territory.
So Bregman and his agent, Scott Boras, are gambling that this offseason’s market will have a bigger appetite for production — especially at third base, where the pickings are thin. Outside of Eugenio Suárez, there isn’t much that screams impact. Boston wants him back, sure. But other clubs are going to make calls.
And that’s where it gets interesting.
The Phillies have danced around the idea of moving Alec Bohm before. Last winter, they tested the waters and set the price sky-high — we’re talking Logan Gilbert or George Kirby from Seattle, Mason Miller from Oakland high. Not surprisingly, no one bit.
And maybe that was fine then. Bohm was coming off an All-Star season in 2024, hitting .287 with a 113 wRC+ and strong defense. But 2025 told a different story. The average stayed respectable, the power dipped, and the metrics flattened (.287/.331/.409, 11 HR, 105 wRC+).
Now, with Bohm entering his walk year, the calculus changes. The Phillies could finally be ready to listen — really listen — if it means landing a proven upgrade at third.
It's doubtful the club views him at this point as a long-range option. The power and offensive consistency just isn't there.
Enter Bregman.
He’s not the same kid who once hit 41 homers in Houston, but he’s still one of the smartest, toughest at-bats in baseball — a grinder who controls the zone and commands the moment. He’s the kind of presence who could lengthen a lineup that too often leans on stars at the top.
And maybe, just maybe, he’s the kind of piece that helps this Phillies core - whatever of it returns in 2026 - to find its next gear.
Of course, there’s one more wrinkle here.
Aidan Miller, the club’s top infield prospect, is quietly inching closer. He earned himself a late-season call-up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and held his own against advanced pitching. Scouts love the swing, the poise, and the way the game seems to slow down for him. It’s widely believed he could be Major League-ready sometime next year — which adds another layer to whatever decision Dave Dombrowski makes this winter.
Does the prospect of signing Bregman block Miller? Or does it buy the Phillies time to let their prized prospect breathe? That’s the kind of internal debate front offices wrestle with all winter.
And in case you’re wondering, Bregman’s done this dance in October plenty. He’s a career .239 hitter in the postseason, with 19 homers and 55 RBIs across 102 games — numbers that speak to a player who’s been there, lived it, and still believes the biggest moments belong to him.
Whichever way this goes, it’s clear the Phillies are standing at another crossroads — between experience and projection, between now and what comes next.
Enter Bregman.
He’s not the same kid who once hit 41 homers in Houston, but he’s still one of the smartest, toughest at-bats in baseball — a grinder who controls the zone and commands the moment. He’s the kind of presence who could lengthen a lineup that too often leans on stars at the top.
And maybe, just maybe, he’s the kind of piece that helps this Phillies core - whatever of it returns in 2026 - to find its next gear.
Of course, there’s one more wrinkle here.
Aidan Miller, the club’s top infield prospect, is quietly inching closer. He earned himself a late-season call-up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and held his own against advanced pitching. Scouts love the swing, the poise, and the way the game seems to slow down for him. It’s widely believed he could be Major League-ready sometime next year — which adds another layer to whatever decision Dave Dombrowski makes this winter.
Does the prospect of signing Bregman block Miller? Or does it buy the Phillies time to let their prized prospect breathe? That’s the kind of internal debate front offices wrestle with all winter.
And in case you’re wondering, Bregman’s done this dance in October plenty. He’s a career .239 hitter in the postseason, with 19 homers and 55 RBIs across 102 games — numbers that speak to a player who’s been there, lived it, and still believes the biggest moments belong to him.
Whichever way this goes, it’s clear the Phillies are standing at another crossroads — between experience and projection, between now and what comes next.
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