Alex Bregman signing mystery deepens as Red Sox manager refuses to reveal much details

Red Sox manager Alex Cora has weighed in on the potential of Boston signing Alex Bregman. The highly sought-after third baseman was expected to secure a deal before 2025, but as of now, he remains without one.

Cora made an appearance at Saturday's Fenway Fest, where he discussed various topics, including Boston's situation with Alex Bregman. Though he dropped a few hints, he kept the specifics vague, fueling speculation while maintaining an air of mystery.

"I can not go into specifics on the free agent," Cora told NESN. "But I think he's a pull hitter that puts the ball in play and is a good defender. The intangibles are the intangibles, we all know that. He's a winner, since LSU and all the way to the Astros.”

The veteran manager also discussed the potential defensive overlap with Boston's longtime third baseman, Rafael Devers, should the team succeed in signing Bregman.

"Rafy Devers is our third baseman," Cora said. "Alex was a Gold-Glover at third base, and we all know that, but in 2017 I had a conversation with him. He needed to play third because of [Carlos] Correa and [Jose] Altuve. I always envisioned Alex as a Gold-Glover second baseman.”

"You know, his size, the way he moves, it felt like 'you will be a second baseman' but he has played third base at a high level so we'll see where he ends up,” he added.

Alex Bregman became a free agent following the expiration of his five-year, $100M contract with the Houston Astros. He is also reportedly open to transitioning to second base, a position he has not played since 2020.

Alex Bregman urged by Walker Buehler to sign with Red Sox

Alex Bregman | Image Source: Getty

The Red Sox made a notable move this offseason by signing former Los Angeles Dodgers star Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05M deal with incentives. Now, Buehler is looking to add to the excitement by wanting to bring Alex Bregman on board.

Buehler and Bregman share a longstanding friendship, having played together on Team USA in college and co-owning a racehorse. During an introductory video call a few days ago, the former said:

“I have certainly made a pitch all over the place for him to come to Boston. He and I have been buddies for a long time. We played on Team USA together a little bit in college.”

He added:

“Being from Lexington (Kentucky), the horse stuff is something that I’ve always been super interested in. Alex got into it a few years ago. I know he has some family ties with it. I got involved in this horse and there was some more of the horse that could have been purchased. So he was the one guy I called and he opted in."

Apart from Boston, the Detroit Tigers are a key contender in the race to sign Alex Bregman.