5 ways for Red Sox to replace Alex Bregman at 3B if he leaves in free agency
There are a handful of ways the Red Sox could replace Bregman if they lose him in free agency.
After having too many third basemen at the start of spring training, the Red Sox might have the opposite problem this offseason.
Alex Bregman is reportedly set to opt out of his contract and become a free agent when the offseason officially opens. While Red Sox manager Alex Cora isn’t worrying about the situation, Bregman is widely viewed as the top free agent at third base this offseason, so Boston will presumably have strong competition to keep him.
Of course, losing Bregman wouldn’t be ideal for a Red Sox team looking to take the next step, even if his reported asking price might seem rich relative to his production at the end of the season. But there are a handful of ways Boston could look to replace Bregman if they lose him this offseason.
So, let’s take a look at five possible ways the Red Sox could replace Bregman at third base.
Make Marcelo Mayer the full-time third baseman.
If the Red Sox lose Bregman in free agency, they could simply replace him the same way they did when he went down with a quad injury during the 2025 season.
Mayer looked more than comfortable at third base after making his MLB debut in May, logging just one error in nearly 250 innings at the position. His Outs Above Average (2) also would’ve been tied for the 11th-best mark among 82 third basemen if he had enough innings to qualify.
But there might be a few reasons why Mayer, who was one of the top prospects in baseball before getting called up, might not be given the full-time job at third base. His hitting wasn’t great (.228 batting average, .674 OPS, four home runs in 44 games), and he particularly struggled against lefties (.154 batting average). So, the Red Sox might need to spell him with a right-handed hitter.
Even if the Red Sox are confident that Mayer’s hitting will get better with time, his durability hasn’t been great. He’s dealt with injuries in every season since 2022, with a wrist injury knocking him out for the final 2.5 months of the 2025 season.
Of course, the Red Sox could also decide that they want to play Mayer elsewhere. Trevor Story could opt out of his contract and leave in his free agency as well, opening a hole at shortstop, Mayer’s natural position. Depending on how the Red Sox view Kristian Campbell, they might have a void to fill at second base, too.
So, Boston might have to look outside the organization to replace Bregman if he leaves this offseason.
Take a swing at Eugenio Suarez or Munetaka Murakami.
After Bregman, Suarez and Murakami are the consensus top-two free agent third basemen this offseason. Suarez, now with the Mariners, would give the Red Sox some much-needed right-handed power, hitting 49 homers in the regular season as he split time in Arizona and Seattle. In fact, the Red Sox were reportedly interested in him before the Mariners acquired him at the trade deadline.
Suarez is 34, so signing him probably wouldn’t require a super long-term commitment. But it also comes with the concern that his play could start to fall off. In fact, he hit .189 in Seattle after the trade during the regular season and his batting average hasn’t been good since 2020 (.229).
Murakami, meanwhile, was one of the top hitters in Japan and is expected to be posted this winter, making him available to sign with any MLB team. The 25-year-old lefty has been one of the best hitters in NPB over the last few years, winning Central League MVP twice and logging 22 homers in 56 games this past season.
The Red Sox could be in the mix to sign Murakami, MLB.com Mark Feinsand reported. However, some teams reportedly think he might be better suited to play first or be a designated hitter.
Beyond Suarez and Murakami, the other free-agent options at third base aren’t spectacular. Former Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada might be the best of the rest, but he struggles against left-handed pitching and is a poor fielder.
If the Red Sox want Mayer to be their primary third baseman, going after someone like Amed Rosario could make sense to help balance the lineup.
Trade for Nolan Arenado or Alec Bohm.
Remember when the Red Sox were reportedly in the mix for Arenado last offseason? Well, they could be playing the same song and dance with the Cardinals again this offseason.
Arenado is expected to be a trade candidate again, even saying that he’s willing to add more teams he would waive his no-trade clause for this offseason. But the Red Sox don’t have to worry about that as he was already willing to waive his no-trade clause to join them last winter.
Now 34, Arenado’s numbers have fallen a good bit from the days when he was one of the best hitters in baseball. He hit a career-low .237 with a .666 OPS and 12 homers in 107 games last season. But he’s been a plus-fielder and trading for him might not take much as he has two years and $42 million remaining on his contract.
As for Bohm, he might be out of the equation for the Phillies’ future as they try to figure out what to do next after three straight disappointing playoff showings. The 29-year-old is entering his final season of team control, so trading for him might just be a temporary fix.
But if the Red Sox feel like they only need a temporary solution at third as they figure out how to use Mayer and Campbell, Bohm is a solid option. The right-handed hitter has logged a batting average of at least .270 and an OPS of at least .710 in each of the last four seasons. He doesn’t have much power, though, logging just one 20-homer season so far in his career.
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