The Chicago Cubs have landed one of the offseason’s top free agents. The Cubs and third baseman Alex Bregman have agreed to a five-year contract worth $175 million, reports ESPN. The deal does not include any opt outs. Bregman opted out of the final two years and $80 million remaining on his contract with the Boston Red Sox to enter free agency.
Bregman, 31, hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs in 114 games around a quad injury in 2025. He did not perform as well after the injury, it should be noted. Bregman put up a .938 OPS in 52 games before the injury and a .724 OPS in 63 games after the injury. Clearly, the Cubs don’t see that as a worrisome sign of decline. Bregman played his typically strong defense all year.
We ranked Bregman as the second-best free agent available this offseason, behind only Kyle Tucker. Here’s the write-up:
Bregman, one of the last notable free agents to sign last winter, showed no ill effects of being left in the cold. He kept alive his streak of having never finished worse than 15% above the league-average hitter, and for the first time in his career, he joined the 90-90 club — that is, a 90% in-zone contact rate and a 90 mph average exit velocity. Bregman can still pick it at third base, too. It’s fair to wonder how his pull-happy slugging would play in a less favorable home offensive environment than the ones he’s haunted to date, but he’s a good player who ought to land a better contract than three years and $120 million this go around.
Rookie Matt Shaw was Chicago’s primary third baseman last year and he put together a league average-ish season at the plate while playing strong enough defense to be a Gold Glove finalist. With Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner entrenched as the double play combination, the Cubs now have too many infielders. Hoerner, a free agent after 2026, has drawn significant trade interest.
The Bregman signing comes a few days after the Cubs boosted their rotation by acquiring right-hander Edward Cabrera from the Miami Marlins for three prospects, including touted outfielder Owen Caissie. Earlier this offseason, they supplemented the bullpen with lower cost free agents Hunter Harvey, Phil Maton, Hoby Milner, and Jacob Webb.
As for the Red Sox, adding an infielder was a priority coming into the offseason and re-signing Bregman would have been the most straightforward move. They can bring in a second or third baseman and play young Marcelo Mayer at the other position. Boston traded for Willson Contreras last month to serve as a righty power bat.
Because he received (and rejected) the qualifying offer last offseason, Bregman was not eligible to receive it again this offseason. The Red Sox will not receive a compensation 2026 draft pick for losing him and the Cubs will not have to forfeit any 2026 draft picks for signing him, which added to Bregman’s appeal.
The Cubs went 92-70 in 2026 and defeated the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series. They were eliminated by the division rival Milwaukee Brewers in five games in the NLDS.