Alex Bregman: Alex Cora expected to see him again in Boston

In 2025, Alex Bregman played for Boston. He didn't get the long-term deal he was looking for on the market, so he took a shorter contract (three years) with a high annual salary ($40 million) and opt-out clauses after each year.

Do I need to remind you that his agent is Scott Boras? And after a strong season, he decided to opt out of his contract to test the market again. And in the end, he got what he wanted: the Cubs offered him $175 million over the next five years.

And in Boston, it all went down badly. After trading Rafael Devers (whose relationship with the club soured following Bregman's arrival, who stole his third base), seeing Bregman leave frustrated more than a few people.

Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager, noted that his former protégé's decision surprised him, as he had believed Bregman would eventually return. “The day the player signed with the Cubs was a tough one for the Red Sox organization,” the manager said.

Alex Cora says he was at a team bowling event when the Alex Bregman news broke and “everybody left the building.” “That Saturday in Boston was a tough one. I thought he was going to come back.” pic.twitter.com/0LtpGdRLBg — Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 13, 2026

It's worth noting that this signing has been the subject of quite a bit of buzz over the past few weeks. We know that Red Sox president Sam Kennedy stated last month that if Bregman had really wanted to stay in Boston, he would still be a member of the Red Sox.

Yes, you can tell things didn't go well. What's clear is that many people in Boston expected (and hoped) to see him again. But in the end, the Cubs put the best offer on the table for Bregman… and he decided to do what was best for him. And a year after acquiring Bregman to form a star duo with Rafael Devers, both guys are now in the National League. You'd think that wouldn't exactly make Cora happy.

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