Baseball News
We’re trying something new to continue our goal of starting (and continuing) conversations within the Brew Crew Ball community. As part of this effort, we’re implementing “Bernie’s Dugout,” a weekly open thread that we’ll drop each Friday.
Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-baseball sports, the Brewers, you name it. As long as it’s appropriate and is allowed by our moderators, it’s fair game here.
This is now an open thread:
We’re 29 hours away from hearing Gary, Keith, and Ron on air for the first time in 2026, as the Mets’ spring training opener is set for a 1:10 PM EST first pitch tomorrow in Port St. Lucie. That’s a good excuse to take another look at the broadcast schedule for the Mets’ spring training games.
The Mets released their 2026 promotional schedule.
As several Mets infielders learn new positions, they’re playing a variation of HORSE during infield drills.
Speaking of infielders learning new positions, Brett Baty talked about the work he’s doing in right field as the Mets weigh their options for that position ahead of the 2026 season.
Francisco Lindor says he respects Steve Cohen’s decision to make the Mets captain-free for the remainder of the time that he owns the team.
Jonah Tong is adding a cutter to his repertoire this season.
This isn’t Mike Tauchman’s first time competing with a blue chip prospect for a spot on an Opening Day roster, as he started spring training in 2023 with the Cubs in a competition that included former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Howie Rose will call fewer Mets games this season, as he will not travel for road games. Should the Mets make the postseason, though, he plans to call every one of those games.
Carlos Mendoza says the Mets’ approach to the major league implementation of the ABS strike zone challenge system is to let the players challenge as much as they want in spring training so the team can see who’s good enough at it to do it in real games.
The Mets signed right-handed pitcher Bryce Conley to a minor league deal.
Former Mets center fielder Juan Lagares announced his retirement from playing baseball.
The Mets released minor league player Jefry De Los Santos.
Battery Power writes that a healthy Austin Riley could be the key that unlocks Atlanta’s lineup.
The Good Phight looks at the relatively uninspiring options if the Phillies were to carry a third left-handed pitcher in their bullpen.
Federal Baseball writes that Landon Harmon is one of several breakout candidates in the Nationals’ farm system.
Robby Snelling, a consensus top-100 prospect in baseball, will start the Marlins’ Grapefruit League opener against the Mets tomorrow.
The Brewers extended Pat Murphy’s contract as the team’s manager through the 2028 season with an option for 2029.
Owners have been pouring money into a reserve fund in anticipation of locking out the players when baseball’s current collective bargaining agreement expires.
Chris Bassitt, who serves on MLBPA’s executive subcommittee, spoke about owners’ desire to get a salary cap and said, “having suppressed salaries across the league so owners can make more money is not the answer.”
Speaking of the union, Ken Rosenthal writes that Bruce Meyer must expand his capacity to lead following his unanimous election as the organization’s interim executive director following the resignation of Tony Clark.
ESPN is launching Women’s Sports Sundays, which will feature games from the WNBA and NWSL airing in the Sunday night slot that was vacated by the network’s decision to move on from Sunday Night Baseball.
Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz have pleaded not guilty to the accusations they’re facing in the fraud case that alleges they colluded with sports bettors to rig bets.
Our daily question asked you about a spring training story line that will age poorly.
Vas Drimalitis wrote about Nick Burdi in a season preview as we continue our attempt to cover every player in major league spring training.
How’s this for timing? The Mets signed Tony Clark on this date in 2003.
Happy Friday, everyone! Well, we survived the week. Let’s give ourselves a collective pat on the back. To celebrate, we can get excited over the fact that baseball games return today. Sure, it’s Spring Training and you can tell me all day these games don’t count, but this is the first baseball we’ve seen since October, so I’ll take what I can get, even if it is a game against the White Sox.
We’ve got news below updating the Tony Clark situation with the MLBPA, and introducing his interim replacement. We look at some up-and-coming prospects, and also spotlight when some current stars might be hanging up their cleats for good.
Plent to look forward to, plus baseball, so let’s just get right into it.
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.
Baseball players are famously superstitious. In Charlie Blackmon’s case, he confessed to being a “little stitiious,” while mic’ed up during the 2018 All-Star Game.
More than banking on luck, Blackmon was notorious for his dedication to his routine. Gabe Bauer, the Rockies director of physical performance, shared a prime example of Blackmon’s meticulousness during Rockies Fest in January.
“He’d show up early, he’d go through all the prep work, he was a very routine-oriented person. Down at the minute,” Bauer said.
“[T]here’s one story in spring training, one of the affiliate strength and conditioning coaches was around Charlie. Charlie went up to this person and asked him what time is game time, because spring training is usually, like, 1:05 or 1:10, right? The strength coach said 1:05. The game was actually at 1:10. Charlie never spoke to that strength coach again. So, I mean, that’s how detail-oriented Charlie is.”
Bauer said that Blackmon was so strict about his routine, which included post-game workouts that could go deep into the night, that he wouldn’t even skip it after the final game of his 14-year career in 2024.
Blackmon’s disciplined regimens, from habits developed in spring training to pre- and post-game workouts, have undoubtedly left an impact on Rockies players and staff, including director of baseball operations Amir Mamdani. Mamdani joined the Rockies in 2021 as an analyst in the baseball ops department before being promoted three times, including assuming his current role in November.
Part of his job is learning what kind of information and what format different players prefer for their data. Mamdani said Blackmon preferred lots of video analysis, especially of opposing starters, as opposed to other players who may like analytics-heavy reports. Whatever the style, getting the information has to be part of that routine, and Mamdani believes Blackmon’s routine played a significant role in his career’s longevity.
“Like Charlie Blackman, who many of us were lucky to kind of observe, had one way of preparing, and that was how he got every ounce of juice out of his major league career,” Mamdani said.
For most players, their routines are year-round efforts. Bauer has noticed a difference in recent years because players are coming into spring training in good shape and ready to go.
“I feel like, nowadays, guys do a really good job of preparing themselves coming into spring training,” Bauer said.
“A lot of them have their own trainers that they work with at home. Some of them go off with a program that we give them, but there’s always that constant checking with them, and making sure that they’re getting their stuff done, getting their work in.”
Mickey Moniak, who the Rockies signed on March 27 before the best season of his career in 2025, is now experiencing his first spring training with the Rockies.
The first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, Monaik took advantage of his playing time in 2025 and said he feels even more prepared for his seventh MLB season.
“For me, personally, I feel like I’ve gotten into a good routine in the offseason,” Moniak said at Rockies Fest. “You know, you’re trying to get stronger, you’re trying to get faster. But most of all, you want to go to spring training healthy and in a good spot.”
Another Rockies newcomer, RHP Michael Lorenzen — who inked a one-year deal in mid-January — credits developing a routine early in his career to his longevity on the mound. Entering his 12th season, Lorenzen said he didn’t need a lot of the elements of his routine in his early years at the time, but that he knew it would pay off in the long run.
“A daily routine is a must-have,” he said at Rockies Fest.
“I feel like for [my new teammates], as we start working together, they could show up to the field and they’re gonna know exactly where on the field they can find me at this time because I’m living in my routine all the time.
“I feel like everyone having a consistent routine where their body feels consistently the same before they pick up the baseball every single time,” Lorenzen continued. “It’s just the discipline of having that allows you to… as you throw harder, as you get older, you kind of match the experience with your stuff, and then that’s where you’re gonna hit your peak. That’s where, in this game, you get to do some fun things.”
When it comes to preparation and strict routines, it certainly looks like Lorenzen is the new Blackmon in the Rockies clubhouse.
Over the next five weeks in Arizona, the Rockies will develop or continue their routines to build the foundation for the grueling 162-game baseball season. This work will help dictate how their minds and bodies can hold up over the long grind as the Rockies look to improve in 2026.
Patrick Saunders checks in with the newest player in the competition for first base this spring training in T.J. Rumfield, the prospect the Rockies acquired in the trade for Angel Chivilli in January. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound lefty will be trying to earn time at first with Troy Johnson, Blaine Crim and Julien Edouard, along with prospect Charlie Condon, in a battle that manager Warren Schaeffer labeled as “completely wide open.”
Forbes attacking cancer with ‘first-pitch breaking balls’ | MLB.com
Chris Forbes, the senior player development director for the Rockies, has become a pro at fending off cancer. Thomas Harding chronicles Forbes’ treatments and outlook on fighting the disease. Forbes has been through it, and this is a great look into his amazing attitude about all of it.
Lorenzen looks to conquer Coors Field, build winning culture with the Rockies | Denver 7
New starter Michael Lorenzen talks about embracing the challenge of pitching at Coors Field, being willing to try new things and not being afraid to fail.
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The loss of franchise cornerstone Kirby Puckett was an enormous setback to start the 1996 Minnesota Twins season. But the show must go on, as they say, and whether narrated through Dick-n-Bert on MSC or Herb-n-John over the air, the ‘96 Twins were off and running.
The three guys Puckett was supposed to pair perfectly with all performed admirably…
Alas, six others batsmen had to come to the plate each game, accounting for the below-average 97 team OPS+.
The “Rick Aguilera as a starter” disaster and sub-90 ERA+ campaigns from the likes of Greg Hansell, Eddie Guardado, Jose Parra, & Pat Mahomes Sr gave this team a reputation of being pitching-poor.
But the likes of Brad Radke (114 ERA+), Frankie Rodriguez (101 ERA+), Rich Robertson (100 ERA+), and Scott Aldred (100 ERA+) all held their own in the rotation while Mike Trombley (170 ERA+) & Dan Naulty (110 ERA+) were solid firemen.
Other ‘96 highlights included…
Without the legendary Kirby panache to draw paying customers, attendance sagged to 17,745/game—11th of 14 in the American League. Well, until Kirby Puckett Tribute Night, which predictably packed the house…
All told, the ‘96 Twins played exactly like a team without their leader, finishing a listless 78-84. They avoided the AL Central cellar, but were still a whopping 21.5 GB crown-wearing Cleveland. The team was below-average in the first half (41-45) and below-average in the second half (37-39). They were below-average at home (39-43) and below-average on the road (39-41). Remarkable consistency for such a middling squad.
Good morning baseball fans!
As we approach the beginning of the season, we’re going to be doing some questions for y’all about your thoughts about the San Francisco Giants and baseball in general!
Today’s question: If you could change one moment in franchise history, what would it be?
My brain instantly thinks of the 2002 World Series, but as painful as that was, it made 2010 that much more special.
So I’m going to go ahead and pretend like I can use this power to magically cure baseball players of what is ailing them, and poof! The Giants get 10 more years of quality Tim Lincecum starts.
I don’t care if that doesn’t change the trajectory of those seasons, I don’t have the brainpower to manage the monkey paw on that one. But I do think I’d trade one of the World Series championships of the 2010s to have gotten to see Lincecum at his prime pitching for the Giants for another decade.
If you could change one moment in franchise history, what would it be?
The Atlanta Braves got a taste of the future of umpiring this week, testing Major League Baseball’s new Automated Ball Strike Challenge System during Spring Training in North Port. The system gives teams two opportunities per game to challenge a called ball or strike and forced Braves players and coaches to begin adjusting to what feels like a new strike zone.
MLB plans to implement the challenge system league wide in 2026, making this spring an important trial run. While the technology has been tested in the minor leagues, its arrival in big league games will add a new layer of strategy and decision making that could subtly shift the rhythm of every matchup.
More Braves News:
A healthy Austin Riley might be the key for Atlanta’s offense this year, and here’s why.
Gabe Burns of the AJC discussed how prospect JR Ritchie can help the 2026 Braves.
MLB News:
Bob Melvin is returning to the A’s, this time as a special assistant to the baseball operations department.
Dermis García. Wilkerman García. Raimfer Salinas. Antonio Cabello. Alexander Vargas. Oswald Peraza. Hans Montero. Hoy Park. Have you heard of them recently? Do you remember them?
A few of of them reached the majors, yes, or had moderate success in the minors in 2025, but in all fairness, their careers haven’t developed the way they wanted. Some fans might even include Brando Mayea and Roderick Arias in that group, but they still have a chance to have an MLB career. It’s important to note, however, that the former hasn’t made it out of the Complex League, and the latter had an 88 wRC+ in 465 plate appearances in Low-A last year — his second in a row there.
Those are some of the highest-profile international free agency busts in recent memory, with some of them collecting bonuses as high as $4 million. The Yankees’ system, however, was also damaged by the signings that didn’t take place, or the ones they lost through the years: it seems that, except for Jasson Domínguez, they haven’t had an amateur free agent making a real impact since maybe Luis Severino, and he was signed in 2011. One could certainly pick nits at Domínguez’s level of impact as well.
It’s hard to point the finger at the players in this group: they were 16 or 17 at the time of signing their contracts, getting hefty bonuses that changed their lives for better or for worse. They often fell victim to huge and unfair expectations for prospects of that age. In the end, their failure to establish themselves as major leaguers was hardly their fault. Of course, maybe one or two of that group could have achieved more and didn’t have the fortitude to make it happen. That’s baseball, Suzyn. However, the Yankees’ employees making the decisions and paying the bonuses on the team might have misjudged their talent and failed to give them the tools to succeed.
Those misses likely led to the organization parting ways with Donny Rowland, their director of international scouting since 2010. To replace him, the Yanks recently appointed Mario Garza, whose experience didn’t come in scouting per se, but instead, in player development and coaching.
Garza hopes to leverage that knowledge and experience into a solid job in his new position. He speaks Spanish and, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, learned how to build lasting relationships with Latin American players. The Yankees have a lot of ground to make up on the race to dominate the Latin American market, but they feel Garza’s ability to communicate and generate trust can result in more quality signings.
Garza is also willing to lean on smart, prepared people to reclaim their place as a preferred landing spot for Asian players. The West Coast teams—mainly the Dodgers—have nabbed most of the elite Japanese and Korean talent in the last few years, including some players the Yankees pursued, such as 2025 World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Reports that the Yankees added Matt Slater and Nao Masamoto to the mix are extremely positive. The former, who worked 18 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, is “very connected in Asia,” as Garza told Kuty. The latter became a key cog in the Cubs’ ability to recruit Asian players in recent seasons. Yu Darvish, Seiya Suzuki, and Shota Imanaga are some examples.
To make a long story short, the Yankees needed to implement some changes to their international scouting and player acquisition practices. And the moment they decided to take that step, everybody knew it was going to hurt for some time. Indeed, Rowland’s preexisting agreements with the latest IFA prospects, like Wandy Asigen, became unfortunate casualties.
It’s important to be patient, though, because changes of this magnitude often take time. We are talking about overhauling an entire system, modifying the way dozens of people work, and how they approach the young players, coaches, instructors, agents, and even their own scouts.
Right now, the Yankees are just starting to implement these changes, so expecting them to land top-notch talents immediately is not realistic. They did well to reach a pre-agreement with top international catcher Sebastián Pérez a few days ago, but they will have to actually get his signature on January 15, 2027, and it’s no longer just a formality with them. It has to happen before everyone can pop the champagne, with Pérez and other potential recruits for next year.
It’s also pertinent to point out that we are in the final year of the current collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLBPA. A contentious labor fight is on the horizon, and for all we know, the current controversial signing system could change (a draft was floated last time around). Nonetheless, the Yankees—and every MLB team—will still need quality scouting of Latin American and Asian talent anyway.
Changes needed to be made, and they finally happened. Now, patience is required.
Back in January, arbitration-eligible players and teams who did not come to an agreement on a salary for the 2026 season at the deadline had to file for the salary they thought the player deserved. This year, 18 players exchanged figures with their clubs to head to arbitration. The Brewers had just one player among that 18, the same one they couldn’t agree with at the deadline last year, William Contreras.
Now that we’re into spring training, the hearings are all done and the verdicts delivered. Some of the 18 players were able to settle with their teams before going into a hearing, however.
The Brewers and William Contreras were one such example of that. Contreras filed for a $9.9 million salary while the Brewers filed at $8.55 million, but ultimately, just before heading into a hearing, the two settled on a $9.4 million salary with a club option for $14.5 million in 2027, Contreras’ last year of team control. That $9.4 million salary figure is a new record for a second-year arb-eligible catcher.
Here’s a quick rundown on the rest of the players who filed for salary figures after that January deadline:
Overall, 12 of the 18 players ended up going to hearings, with the players going 8-4 in those hearings. Six players, including William Contreras, were able to settle with the club prior to heading into the hearing. It was a good year for the players in 2026.
Welcome to the last Friday without Phillies baseball for a while. Well, that’s not strictly true: there’ll be a Friday off after the home opener. But you know what I mean.
Onto the links.
Phillies news:
For those of us lucky enough to go to Clearwater, the Phillies announced the fan amenities you can expect at BayCare Ballpark.
The Phillies’ new-look bullpen is off to a good start.
For a while, J.T. Realmuto thought his 2026 would see him wearing different colors.
MLB news
Jazz Chisholm isn’t content with just having the coolest name in baseball: he also wants to join Shohei Ohtani in the 50-50 Club.
Uniform nerds, rejoice (to be clear, I count myself among your ranks): the Tigers have unveiled a pair of alternate uniforms.
Davy Andrews of FanGraphs has an unusual, but highly timely question: which ballplayers would be good at ice dancing? ($)
The end of the College of Coaches and other feel-good stories.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue is pleased to present a Cubs-centric look at baseball’s colorful past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow the various narrative paths.
“Maybe I called it wrong, but it’s official.” — Tom Connolly, HoF Umpire.
Today in baseball history:
Cubs Birthdays:Frankie Gustine, Jesus Figueroa, Ryan Sweeney, Julio Borbon, Spencer Patton. Also notable: Sam Rice HOF.
Today in history:
Common sources:
*pictured.
Some of these items spread from site to site without being fact-checked, and that is why we ask for verifiable sources, in order to help correct the record.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I’ve got good news and bad news for you, Orioles fans. The good news is that baseball is happening today! The O’s will play the Yankees in their Grapefruit League opener in Sarasota at 1:05. The game will be broadcast on MASN and WBAL radio as the Orioles return to the field after nearly five long months.
The bad news is Jordan Westburg’s murky injury status, which is hanging like a dark cloud over the early days of camp. As reported by The Baltimore Banner, Westburg — who was already sidelined by a sore oblique — had imaging done on his elbow, which indicates the possibility of a much more serious injury. The O’s haven’t announced a diagnosis for Westburg, but in general, when a player has pain in his elbow such that it requires imaging, it’s hard not to assume the worst-case scenario. The initials T.J. jump to mind, and I don’t mean Thomas Jefferson.
Again, nothing is official yet. Maybe we’ll be pleasantly surprised and the imaging won’t reveal any serious damage to Westburg’s elbow. Even if that’s the case, though, he’s still got the oblique injury that will cost him some time, and he almost certainly won’t be ready for Opening Day, further weakening an O’s infield that will already have Jackson Holliday sidelined for a few weeks.
Newly acquired utility guy Blaze Alexander can’t fill both positions at once, which means the Orioles are either going to have to give Coby Mayo another shot at playing third base — something he’s struggled with throughout his minor and major league career — or they’ll need to make an emergency trade or free agent signing. I’ll note that former O’s Gold Glove third baseman Ramón Urías is available, having been non-tendered by the Astros in November, but there’s been no indication so far that the O’s are interested in a reunion.
The Orioles’ season isn’t over just because of Westburg’s injury, nor Holliday’s. There’s a full slate of spring training baseball and then 162 regular season games ahead of us. Still, after the 2025 Orioles were so badly ravaged by health problems that tanked their season, the fact that 2026 is starting with injuries to two key players is turning the spring vibes a little bit sour.
I was racking my brain trying to think of what player the O’s had signed from Germany before I realized the headline was referring to Nestor German. I need more sleep.
Rogers will start Orioles’ Grapefruit League opener – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Don’t necessarily take this as a sign that Rogers will be starting on Opening Day for the Orioles. Case in point: the Yankees’ starting pitcher in this spring opener is Elmer Rodriguez.
Three reasons why – Kyle Bradish is vital for the 2026 Orioles – Steve Melewski
These all boil down to: Kyle Bradish is really good.
I had never heard of this particular non-roster invitee before Meoli’s article, but now I’m pulling for Henriquez all the way. What a baseball journey he’s been on.
Nelly, Vanilla Ice to perform at Camden Yards in Orioles’ concert series – The Baltimore Sun
Phew! What a lucky break that Vanilla Ice was available.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! The two former Orioles with Feb. 20 birthdays are outfielder Julio Borbón (40) and the late right-hander Jim Wilson (b. 1922, d. 1986), an All-Star with the 1955-56 Birds.
On this day in 1990, the Orioles signed former Red Sox designated hitter Sam Horn. While Horn went on to put up decent numbers in three years in Baltimore, hitting 42 homers and posting a .797 OPS, he infamously struck out six times in one game on July 17, 1991, forever prompting a six-K game to be known as a “Horn.”
And on this day in 2017, the O’s signed free agent Craig Gentry. The veteran outfielder played 145 games in two seasons with the Birds, providing some defense but little in the way of offense, before calling it a career. The Orioles sure had some pointless signings near the end of the Dan Duquette era.
Pitchers and catchers reported to Yankees spring training a little over a week ago, and now today, we check off another milestone on the way to Opening Day. It’s the Grapefruit League opener! Yes, it’s that special time of year when MLB players appear in games they don’t particularly care about, all with the explicit goal of not breaking something. But it beats “no baseball.”
The first game will be in Sarasota against the Orioles. Since it’s a spring road game, that means we’re not getting as many regulars, so that makes our question today a bit more tricky than one might think. So who’s hitting the first long ball of the spring?
Here’s who we know is making the trip:
As such, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells would be good guesses since they’re both power threats. And if Amed Rosario is facing a lefty, well, he did slug .491 against southpaws in 2025.
Maybe there’s a surprise in store though! We’ll update this post once we know the full lineup, but make your best guess! And hey, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Yankees go homerless today, too, so Aaron Judge and more are in play for tomorrow.
It’s more than just the spring opener today on the site! Andrés will begin our morning by musing on the Yankees’ ever-evolving international baseball operations overhaul, Jake will celebrate the 113th birthday of late-1940s/early-’50s standout Tommy Henrich (Old Reliable), and Michael will preview Trent Grisham’s 2026 season. Peter will have you covered on the exhibition game against the O’s.
New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles
Time: 1:05 p.m. EST
Video: Gotham Sports, MLB Network, MASN
Venue: Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota, FL
For me, there’s a clear answer here but it’s not the one you’re thinking. There’s division rivals and the historic, heated division races the Twins have had with the Tigers through the 2000s and White Sox in the late 2010s.
There’s the Yankees, the source of Minnesota’s postseason misery for nearly two decades. The Dodgers and Mets have spent so much more money compared to other teams that we might lose the entire 2027 season over it. The Astros cheated their way to multiple championships and faced almost no repercussions for it.
However…
Every time the Cleveland Guardians win a baseball game it feels me with incomparable rage. No one on that roster is good besides Jose Ramirez and Cade Smith. They’re the focal point for the biggest gambling scandal in modern professional sports, including Emmanuel Clase allegedly throwing playoff games. Their fans think they play baseball the “right way” when in reality they just are bad and lucky. I sincerely hope they win 50 games and become what we currently think the White Sox to be.
But enough about me. Who is your least favorite MLB team AND why? Rational or irrational, let me hear it!
MESA, AZ — Perhaps back in the day, when Alex Bregman burst into the big leagues as a brash rookie third baseman with the Houston Astros, it would be different.
It was a time when Bregman was a must-hear sound bite, a must-write interview, and had absolutely no filter.
Now, 10 years later, Bregman still is one of the most talented third basemen in the game, with a resume that includes four pennants, two World Series championships and nine consecutive postseason appearances. But he is much more mature and reserved in his thoughts.
He’ll be 32 years old in a month, is a family man with a wife and two young children, a businessman with his own training facility, Club Nemesis, in Scottsdale and has a father running for governor in the state of New Mexico.
Bregman is a bona fide clubhouse leader who is bilingual, studies hitting tapes and scouting reporters to help teammates and minor leaguers in the organization, and has become one of the game’s respected players with his professionalism and work ethic.
And, yes, he has learned the art of diplomacy.
Bregman, sitting in the bleachers outside the Chicago Cubs’ clubhouse and speaking with USA TODAY Sports, hears the outside noise, particularly emanating from the Boston Red Sox camp, and this time in life refuses to stoke the flames.
If Red Sox president Sam Kennedy wants to say, “If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately, he’d be here," Bregman will let him talk.
If the Detroit Tigers were so upset Bregman shunned them after the 2024 season that they didn't even engage this winter when he hit free agency again, that’s their choice.
If the Houston Astros still insist they offered Bregman a six-year, $156 million contract when he left as a free agent two years ago, and instead traded for Isaac Paredes of the Cubs, it’s their money to spend it as they wish.
What Bregman will tell you is that he’s absolutely ecstatic to be with the Cubs, and, oh, how the Cubs already love him.
This is where Bregman believes he belongs, but if he wanted to be perfectly candid, he could offer his own retort to the Red Sox by saying, “If he Red Sox really wanted me back, I’d be in Boston."
It’s not worth his time to go down that rabbit hole and will simply let the facts speak for itself.
The Red Sox offered Bregman a five-year, $165 million contract, with deferred money, and did not include a no-trade clause. The Cubs offered a five-year, $175 million contract, also with deferred money, and included a no-trade clause.
So, if the Red Sox had simply offered a no-trade clause, would Bregman be wearing a Red Sox uniform today?
“It was more than just that," Bregman says.
Did he think he’d be returning to Boston, where he was their clubhouse leader and hit .262 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs with an .821 OPS in 114 games?
“I didn’t know, I really didn’t know," Bregman says. “I obviously loved my time there. Love all of the guys there. Love AC [manager Alex Cora]. I’ll always cherish it."
The memories playing for the Red Sox, even if it was just for one year, will never be forgotten.
“Playing at Fenway is unbelievable," Bregman says. “The fans in Boston are unbelievable. My teammates were incredible. I’ll be a fan of their for life. I loved playing for AC and the coaching staff there. They mean a lot to me."
So, considering all of the great memories, if the Red Sox had just given him a no-trade clause, and at least matched the Cubs’ offer, would he still have chosen the Cubs?
“I just really don’t want to get into it,’’ he says. “It’s not worth it."
While Bregman declined to provide details of the talks, a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations believes that the Red Sox were convinced Bregman and agent Scott Boras were bluffing. The Red Sox were confident they had the highest bid, and thought they’d bidding against themselves.
So, basically, it was take-it-or-leave it offer.
Bregman left it.
It was similar circumstances to two years ago when Bregman became a free agent for the first time. The Tigers made the highest offer at six years, $171.5 million, and refused to bid. It was more than the Astros’ offer at $156 million, but included an opt-out only after the second year.
Bregman still thought he was heading to Detroit to join his former manager A.J. Hinch until the Red Sox jumped in with a three-year, $120 million deal. It was not only paying him $40 million a year compared to the Tigers’ annual salary of $28.8 million, but it also included opt-outs after the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Teams made their choices, and Bregman certainly made his, and isn’t about to look back.
Bregman purchased a home in the Scottsdale area, a 20-minute drive to the Cubs’ spring-training complex, and living in a city filled with Cubs’ fans, with one of every six residents are from Chicago, according to studies.
No need for opt-outs
He is home.
And even with his third different uniform in three years, he hopes to continue his streak of playing in the postseason every year of his career, leading the Cubs back to another World Series championship without having to wait another 108 years.
“It feels good, I’m so excited to be here,’’ Bregman said. “There’s just so much tradition. Great fanbase. So much history. Great energy in the ballpark. Everything.
“I just hope to do my part in helping this team win. Obviously, they already had a really good team, and made a postseason run last year. Now, I hope to help them any way I can."
Certainly, the hype in Chicago is in full force with Bregman’s arrival. They are no longer dreaming of the playoffs, but a World Series, with Bregman already pouring his heart and soul into the organization.
“He really wants to help guys get better,” said Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations. “He’s passionate about it. … It’s rare to have a player that’s invested in helping make young guys better. And you’ll see it in various ways, but it’s a wonderful quality that he has. It’s something people with the Astros talk about and people with the Red Sox talk about, and it’s something he’s earned."
It’s why fans at their Cubs convention screamed just at the sight of Bregman, and after spending the week in Chicago attending a Bulls game, Blackhawks game and Bears game, it’s as if they already adopted him as a native son.
“It’s crazy, it was so much fun," Bregman said. “The energy is crazy, especially with it being 10 degrees outside and just seeing how excited everybody was. You can feel the energy in the city and they love their sports teams, and they love their city.
“There’s so much energy in those buildings and everyone has welcomed me with open arms. I’m so grateful for that. My wife and I are super excited to get out in the community and raise our kids there."
Bregman, a three-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, realizes there will be ups and downs like any year. He was off to one of the finest starts of his career last year until missing 1½ months with an injury. He hasn’t had that spectacular of season since 2019 when he slashed .297/.423/.592 with 41 homers and 112 RBIs, finishing runner-up in the MVP race.
And, of course, he’s now playing for the first time in the National League. Fans still viciously boo players from the 2017 Astros, who were embroiled in the sign-stealing scandal.
Perhaps in time there will be forgiveness for those Astros hitters still in the game, just as the Hall of Fame voters ended their punishment towards Carlos Beltran, electing him into this year’s Hall of Fame class.
“It was super cool to see Carlos get in," Bregman says. “He was a superstar player, and one of the best clubhouse guys I’ve ever been around.’’
He was also thrilled to see former Astros teammate Justin Verlander return to the Tigers where his career started, giving the Tigers one of the most dynamic rotations in baseball with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, former Astros teammate Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty and Verlander.
““I’m so excited for him ... That’s a good team," Bregman said. They got a lot of pitching. That rotation is really, really good."
Bregman was invited by Mark DeRosa, manager of Team USA, to be his third baseman last summer. He was in the 2017 squad that won a gold medal, but as the youngest player on the team (22), only got eight plate appearances. He would have played in 2023, but he broke his finger in Game 7 of the 2022 World Series.
Now, he’s back, representing Team USA.
“I had so much fun that first time playing in it, I really missed out last time,’’ Bregman said. “I always loved representing our country, and take so much pride representing the red, white and blue.’’
He says he looks forward to being around infielders Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson for two weeks, and particularly Yankees MVP Aaron Judge, while getting to know his own Cubs teammates with Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matthew Boyd. The bonus is that Team USA will be playing their pool round games at Daikin Park in Houston, where Bregman played the first nine years of his career, and where his in-laws and plenty of friends still reside.
And if MLB permits their major-league players to play in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, as expected, count Bregman in. He wouldn’t miss for the world.
“That would be the ultimate," Bregman said. “It would be crazy. It would really be incredible."
But for now, well, he’s got a championship to win, this time in Chicago, with baseball already scheduled for October on the Bregman calendar. He is four years shy of tying the MLB record of 13 consecutive postseason appearances, set by Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Clayton Kershaw.
“I don't take it for granted at all," Bregman says. “I know how hard it is to get there. How many things have to go right, how many things your team has to do well to get there. So, believe me, I never take it for granted.
“I mean, I just love playing meaningful baseball games in October every single year.
“I sure look forward to doing that again here.’’
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alex Bregman loving Cubs life as Red Sox keep talking about contract
