The Diamondbacks weren’t supposed to be in the mix for Alex Bregman. However, their name has quietly started to emerge as his talks with the Red Sox continue to stall. With Ketel Marte, their franchise cornerstone expected to sign a big deal elsewhere, Arizona could suddenly have the financial breathing room needed to make a run at Bregman.

However, according to Boston analyst Hogdale, it’s not entirely surprising that the Diamondbacks are at least kicking the tires. What really stands out to him is how Boston is handling the situation. In his view, it’s less about how aggressive Arizona might be and more about the Red Sox’s approach, one that could ultimately end up pushing Bregman out of Boston altogether!

“For whatever the Diamondbacks have on the table for Bregman, and if that’s already apparently not good enough for Bregman, and the Red Sox offer is worse than that…. So if I had to say take a shot in the dark, there’s probably like a five-year deal on the Sox. It’s like a three +1, with an option. That’s probably where we’re sitting at here, and I just don’t. I hate that we are dicking around with Bregman again after doing this literally the entire offseason last year,” Hogdale said via Dirty Water.

Honestly, the Red Sox’s offseason has been pretty rough. They’ve swung and missed on everyone like Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, and Robert Suárez. And now even the idea of keeping Alex Bregman is starting to feel like a long shot.

According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, Bregman is believed to be looking for a five-year deal. And that’s where things get dicey for Boston. The Sox have never been comfortable handing out long-term contracts to guys in their 30s. Sure, they made an exception with Trevor Story in 2022, giving the then-29-year-old six years, but that still feels more like an outlier than a trend.

So, it’s hard to see Boston outbidding teams that are willing to really push their chips in for Bregman.

That’s why Hogdale is so frustrated. From his perspective, the Red Sox are basically “dicking around” with Bregman. And it’s not like we haven’t seen this movie before. Last year, they slow-played him too, only stepping up at the last second with a deal that included a one-year opt-out.

Hence, you’ve now got the Diamondbacks, flush with that $1.6 billion valuation, looming. If Bregman is willing to take a lower AAV in exchange for more years and stability, Arizona reportedly has no problem offering exactly that. Meanwhile, Boston hasn’t even shown a willingness to go there, and that’s what’s really driving fans nuts.

Alex Bregman is spoiled with choices, and it’s beyond the Diamondbacks

It’s not that Bregman has the Diamondbacks as the other option, if not the Red Sox. Rather, there are a few more.

Well, with the Cubs moving on from Kyle Tucker, Bregman suddenly makes a lot of sense. Why? Because he’d give the Cubs an elite, proven bat while actually helping them manage payroll, and he’d serve as a veteran anchor for a lineup that’s still pretty young.

Notably, Bregman quietly had a bounce-back season with the Red Sox, hitting .273 with 18 HRs and 118 hits, earning his first All-Star nod since 2019.

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Moreover, for the Cubs, Bregman’s glove, experience, and steady bat would slide perfectly into a lefty-heavy lineup. It would help fix an offense that struggled in the 2025 postseason. There’s even some chatter that bringing in Bregman could open the door to a Nick Hoerner trade. Thus, letting the Cubs flip the Gold Glove second baseman for bullpen help.

And according to MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the Cubs have already put a four-year, $120 million offer on the table. Still, if that comes up short compared to what Arizona is willing to spend, all signs point to Bregman’s next stop being with the Diamondbacks.