"I don't see them splashing out for Alex Bregman" - Blue Jays insider predicts landing spot of 2x All-Star World Series champion

Alex Bregman's free agency is lingering a bit too long for everyone's liking. Four teams - Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays - have been in contention for his services this offseason.

On the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast, Blue Jays reporter Ben Nicholson-Smith shared his thoughts about each team's chances of signing the two-time All-Star. As per him, Detroit is best suited to raise the monetary stakes, while Boston and New York's setups make him a good acquisiton.

However, Nicholson-Smith doesn't believe that Toronto is going all the way for him, and if the market doesn't offer anything, Bregman might settle for a short-term contract.

"I have heard that the Tigers are the team that's the most motivated on him, and that's willing to go to the highest threshold. ... I still look at the Red Sox as a fit there. I still look at the Mets as a fit for Bregman—put Vientos at first, boom. Maybe that means Pete Alonso goes, but I think that Jays honestly, I don’t see them splashing out for Alex Bregman.

"I see them hanging around, and if he doesn’t get what he wants and he's looking for a deal with a couple opt-outs in a couple weeks, maybe. But I don’t think that they’re his number one, and I don’t think that he’s their number one, if that makes sense," Nicholson-Smith said. [16:51]

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Ken Rosenthal believes Red Sox could edge Alex Bregman compeition with patience

On the Foul Territory TV podcast, insider Ken Rosenthal had similar sentiments to Ben Nicholson-Smith about the Red Sox's chances of landing Alex Bregman.

While Nicholson-Smith said that the Blue Jays are playing the waiting game, Rosenthal said that Toronto and Detroit's unwillingness to go all-in for Bregman might help Boston leverage their hand, as they could wait out and swoop in for the Gold Glove-winning third baseman.

"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 gonna take our chances that no one else will, and we are going to leverage this and negotiate as hard as possible,'" Rosenthal said.

"The problem is, they still might not get Bregman, and we're not exactly sure whether the front office wants to commit to Bregman." [5:04]

The Tigers aren't known to hand out big-money offers and have been skeptical about signing Alex Bregman. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have treaded cautiously, knowing that they have to hand out a long-term contract to the face of the organization, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.