Reasons behind missing out on Bregman revealed? Former player criticizes Red Sox's tough negotiation stance

The Chicago Cubs recently announced they reached an agreement with Alex Bregman, signing him to a five-year contract. Former MLB star A.J. Pierzynski revealed on a show that the Boston Red Sox lost this third baseman entirely due to their own handling of the situation.

On the program "Foul Territory," the former Red Sox catcher disclosed that the team made an offer to Bregman early in the offseason. Although the exact figure was not revealed, he noted that the proposal displeased the player's camp, and the Red Sox showed no willingness to compromise, adopting an almost "take it or leave it" approach.

According to Pierzynski, the Red Sox initially did not believe other teams would offer more. By the time they decided to increase their offer to $165 million over five years, it was too late—Bregman felt disrespected by Boston and had received a better offer from the Cubs: a higher total amount, shorter deferred payment terms, and a no-trade clause. Ultimately, he signed a five-year, $175 million deal with Chicago.

Pierzynski believes the Red Sox lacked flexibility in negotiations with Bregman early in the offseason, which was the team's best chance to secure him. Instead, their rigid stance delayed talks and gave Chicago the opportunity to present a superior offer.

“The Red Sox were completely unwilling to budge and nearly refused to negotiate. By the time they were ready to reopen talks, it was already too late,” Pierzynski added. “Bregman and his agent Scott Boras informed the Red Sox that they had received a better offer elsewhere and were likely to accept it. The Red Sox responded with disbelief, saying, ‘I don’t believe it, go ahead and sign them.’ The team remained indifferent and lost the chance when they tried to restart negotiations.”

Red Sox General Manager Craig Breslow responded: “It’s always disappointing when you pursue a player aggressively and don’t succeed. We do this job driven by competitiveness and a desire to bring championships to our fans, so missing out on a player is a significant setback.”

Breslow consistently refused to offer a no-trade clause, without specifying why, and did not consider it the key factor in Bregman’s decision to sign elsewhere. “Bregman and his family have the right to decide their future for the next five years, and we respect that. Speculating on what factor influenced their decision most would be both reckless and unfair.”