Red Sox offseason: Latest updates on Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado

Red Sox offseason: The latest updates on Alex Bregman and Nolan Arenado originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox need a right-handed bat, but which players are still available at this stage of the MLB offseason?

Longtime Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman remains unsigned as a free agent. The Red Sox have reportedly shown interest in Bregman, who knows Boston manager Alex Cora well from their time together in Houston.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado could be available via trade. Arenado put together some great offensive seasons in his 12-year career between the Rockies and Cardinals.

So, what’s the latest on both players’ futures and where do the Red Sox stand?

Alex Bregman

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal gave an update on Bregman’s situation on Monday’s episode of his podcast Foul territory.

“What’s happening here, I think, is the Red Sox are just saying, ‘We don’t think he’s going to Toronto, we don’t think Detroit is going to sign him, so we’re going to take our chances that there’s no one there. ‘ “Other will sign him and we will take advantage of that and negotiate as hard as we can,” Rosenthal said.

“If they do that and get Bregman, more power to them. That’s a good strategy, it’s a good negotiation tactic. The problem is they still may not get Bregman and we’re not entirely sure their front office wants to commit to Bregman.”

If the Red Sox kept Rafael Devers at third base, where would Bregman play? Second base is probably the best fit.

“Raffy Devers is our third baseman,” Cora said Fenway Festival over the weekend. “Alex was a Gold Glover at third base. But in 2017 there was a change with (Bregman) – he had to take third place because of Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve. I always imagined Alex as a Gold Glover second baseman. His size and the way he moved felt like a second baseman. But he played third base at a high level.”

Bregman batted .260 last season with 26 home runs, 75 RBI, 30 doubles, 79 runs scored and a .315 on-base percentage, while also winning an American League Gold Glove Award at third base.

Nolan Arenado

MLB.com’s John Denton reported on Jan. 6 that the Red Sox “have emerged as a strong candidate to land Arenado in a trade with the Cardinals.”

The Athletic’s Katie Woo wrote on Jan. 7, “While several teams inquired about Arenado in early December, the number of Arenado’s preferred destinations is small and it is unclear whether any of those teams are interested.”

“Multiple league sources indicate that the Red Sox represent Arenado’s last chance to get a deal before the 2025 season. If Boston misses out on Bregman, there could be a trade for Arenado,” Woo added.

Arenado is under contract for three more seasons and will be a free agent after the 2027 season. So if the Red Sox want him, they would have to trade for him and give up assets (like prospects or a young MLB player). Bregman would only cost the Red Sox money because he is a free agent.

Arenado hit .272 with 16 home runs, 71 RBI, 23 doubles and an on-base percentage of .325 last season. His home run and RBI totals have declined each of the last three seasons, and he’s also three years older than Bregman.

It will be interesting to see what the Red Sox do to strengthen their roster before Opening Day. They’ve made some decent pitching acquisitions so far this offseason, but still need a productive right-handed hitter.