How Cubs Move Forward With Alex Bregman Going to Boston

For the last few weeks, any discussion about the Chicago Cubs third-base job couldn’t happen without mentioning Alex Bregman.

The fit made a ton of sense. Bregman is fresh off his first Gold Glove award at third base, so the positional fit was clear. He has connections with Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly, both of whom the Houston Astros (Bregman’s former team) traded to the Cubs this offseason.

He’s a two-time All-Star, and he’ll only turn 31 at the end of March. That means the North Siders could’ve added a still-not-completely-out-of-his-prime player with strong defense and bat that would’ve plugged right into the heart of the order.

Joining the bidding for Bregman wasn’t on the Cubs’ priority list heading into the winter.

President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer acknowledged as much while discussing Bregman with reporters in Arizona on Thursday. But with Bregman still unsigned a couple of months in, the door opened for the Cubs to become a top suitor.

Bregman a Win-Now Move Worth Pursuing

“It’s important to be opportunistic,” Hoyer said. “That was the case I was making [to ownership], that I realize this is a financial stretch above our budget, but I realize it’s the moment to do it.”

Unfortunately for the Cubs, Bregman ultimately picked the Boston Red Sox. The sides agreed to a three-year contract worth $120 million, per Wednesday night reports. The deal also includes opt-outs after 2025 and 2026 plus deferred money.

The Detroit Tigers were another team in the running. Their offer was reportedly for $171.5 million over six years.

But Hoyer just wasn’t going to be able to match the average annual value of the Red Sox’s offer or the total years of the Tigers’ offer, despite ownership loosening the purse strings.

According to reports, the Cubs offered Bregman a four-year, $115 million deal, including opt-outs after 2026 and 2027.

Clearly, that didn’t get the job done.

“I spent a lot of time talking about a pursuit of him, and [ownership was] willing to green-light us pushing our budget,” Hoyer said. “It’s free agency. Ultimately, [Bregman] got a deal in structure and in an amount that we couldn’t match, but that’s just the nature of it. I was thankful that I was able to pursue it. It was a really good opportunity, and now we move forward.”

What’s Next for the Cubs at Third Base?

The good thing for the Cubs is they weren’t putting all their eggs in the Bregman basket. They’ve had plans for third base since before that pursuit really heated up.

The not-so-good thing for the Cubs is Bregman would’ve been by far their most proven option at the spot.

Matt Shaw will strongly be considered for third base come Opening Day. Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters in Arizona earlier this week that “Matt’s got a shot at it, there’s no question about it. He’s squarely in the mix, and he is going to get the first shot at it.”

Shaw should probably be considered the favorite, and he’s a real breakout candidate. But he’s also never played in the big leagues before. He doesn’t have a whole lot of playing time at third overall. It would not come as a shock if he struggled at the start.

Shaw is also currently dealing with a left oblique issue, Counsell told reporters in Arizona on Friday. He is considered day-to-day, though. The hope is it’ll just be a slower start to spring for him that doesn’t affect his readiness for regular season games, including the trip to Tokyo in about a month.

Counsell did note earlier in the week that “it’s still a competition, too.” That means the Cubs’ more veteran infield additions this offseason, Jon Berti and Vidal Bruján, will be in the mix this spring.

Berti has played 1,204 1/3 innings at third across parts of seven major league seasons. In comparison, Bruján only has 92 2/3 innings at the spot over the last four seasons, though 75 of those did come in 2024.

You’ll also have to keep in mind Gage Workman, who has 1,163 2/3 minor league innings at third. The 25-year-old has yet to play above Double-A, but he is the Cubs’ Rule 5 Draft pick, and Rule 5 pick rules (outlined here) could give him a slight advantage in the competition.

Non-roster spring invitee Nicky Lopez could also factor into the mix.

Bregman would’ve been the clear-cut starter at third base, but obviously, that isn’t happening. So, it looks like the Cubs will rely on their current case of third-base options.

Of course, there’s always the potential they acquire another player who can man the spot. Asked directly if they could still add a more veteran corner infielder, Hoyer did say they’d always look.

However, Bregman was the kind of player worth going over budget for. Without a potential acquisition like that on the table, the team to start the year is pretty much set.

“I think that right now, the big blocks, so to speak, and the medium blocks are on this team,” Hoyer said. “We’ll be able to make moves in-season. We’ll be able to be opportunistic as things come up. … My expectation is that the group we have now is really close to what we’re going to go forward with.”

That means it’ll be a competition between Shaw and the rest of the group to see who grabs hold of that spot heading into the season.