Add the Toronto Blue Jays to the list of teams showing interest in free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman.
The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon wrote at the Winter Meetings that Bregman was a “potential backup plan” if the Blue Jays did not sign right fielder Kyle Tucker or infielder Bo Bichette.
Bregman might be more than that.
Team officials have been in recent contact with Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, according to sources briefed on the conversations. Ideally, the Jays want to add a left-handed hitter, but either the right-handed Bregman or Bichette would fit their defensive alignment better than Tucker or Cody Bellinger, both of whom bat left.
Bregman almost certainly would stay at third for the Jays, who then would play Ernie Clement at second and Addison Barger in right, with George Springer and Anthony Santander also manning the outfield and serving as DHs. If the Jays signed Bichette to play second, a position he filled for the first time in the World Series, the only difference is that Clement would remain at third.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, is four years younger than Bregman. The age difference is one reason The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected Bichette to sign for eight years, $212 million and Bregman for six years, $171 million.
Perhaps the Jays will simply play the market, but the competition for both players appears intense. Bregman also is drawing interest from his previous club, the Boston Red Sox, as well as the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and others. Bichette is a target for some of the same teams and other clubs as well.
A separator for Bregman is that teams value him not only for his offense and defense, but also his leadership. Like Kyle Schwarber, who re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for five years, $150 million, Bregman is viewed as a player who helps make teammates better, a difference-maker on and off the field.
Adding to the possible fit with Toronto: Two of Bregman’s former Houston Astros teammates, Springer and outfielder Myles Straw, are among the leading voices in the Jays’ clubhouse, which already is one of the game’s most cohesive.
The Jays, after coming within two outs of winning the World Series, already have signed free-agent righty starters Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce and reliever Tyler Rogers, for a combined $277 million. Righty starter Shane Bieber will return after exercising his $16 million player option. But the Jays will gain payroll flexibility after 2026 with Bieber, Springer, righty Kevin Gausman and center fielder Daulton Varsho all eligible for free agency.
Toronto seems destined to add one of the big free-agent hitters. And Bregman seems as reasonable a possibility as any.
Royals roulette
Some in the industry were surprised to learn of the Kansas City Royals’ trade for lefty reliever Matt Strahm, knowing their swap with the Philadelphia Phillies for righty Jonathan Bowlan added nearly $7 million in payroll.
The Royals had been telling clubs and agents they were operating with limited financial flexibility. But ownership allowed the front office to extend for Strahm, who became a more pressing addition after the Royals traded lefty reliever Angel Zerpa to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Isaac Collins and righty reliever Nick Mears.
Shedding payroll still might be necessary for the Royals to acquire one more hitter, ideally the Red Sox’s Jarren Duran or St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, according to people familiar with their plans. The team remains open to moving moving left-hander Kris Bubic, who is projected to earn $6 million in arbitration. A trade of righty reliever John Schreiber ($3.8 million projection) or Bailey Falter ($3.3 million) also would create flexibility.
While the Royals are disinclined to trade their top starting pitchers, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Cole Ragans, they continue to get hit on a variety of others, including Bubic, lefty Noah Cameron and righties Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila, sources say.
Cameron, 26, is left-handed and durable, coming off a fourth-place finish in the AL Rookie of the Year voting and a native of St. Joseph, Mo,. about an hour from Kansas City. The Royals do not want to trade him and likely would consider it only for a clear upgrade.
Prices rising for controllable starters?
The big returns the Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates received Friday for right-handers Shane Baz and Mike Burrows, respectively, might only embolden other clubs entertaining offers for controllable starting pitchers.
Baz is under club control for three more seasons, Burrows for six more. Cameron also comes with six additional years of control. Miami Marlins righty Edward Cabrera has three remaining, Washington Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore two.
One difference with Cabrera and Gore is that each made two trips to the injured list last season, while both Baz and Burrows stayed healthy. Then again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The Nationals might view Gore and Baz as comparable, contending that while Gore is under control for one fewer season, he’s also a better pitcher. The question is whether the Nats could find a team to motivate them the way the Baltimore Orioles motivated the Rays with Baz.
The prides of Flowood, Miss.
The game’s consensus No. 1 prospect, Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin, reacted excitedly to the Pirates’ trade Friday, quote-tweeting a post by one of the team’s acquisitions, outfielder Jake Mangum.
Let’s go!!! 🏴☠️ https://t.co/8I2JixPy8P
— Konnor Griffin (@KonnorGriffin22) December 20, 2025
Griffin, 19, went to the same high school as Mangum, 29 – Jackson Preparatory in Flowood, Miss. They train at the same facility in Flowood during the offseason.
“I know him really well,” Mangum said Saturday. “He’s a good dude.”
So, did the Pirates acquire Mangum with the idea he would mentor Griffin, who could be their starting shortstop on Opening Day?
Nope.
A club official said the Pirates were not aware of the relationship between Griffin and Mangum before making their three-team deal with Houston and Tampa Bay, in which they also acquired second baseman Brandon Lowe and lefty reliever Mason Montgomery from the Rays.
But as Griffin breaks into the majors, the presence of Mangum could be an added benefit.
“They’re trying to win. That’s what is very exciting to hear,” said Mangum, who as a rookie last season batted .296 with 27 stolen bases in 33 attempts. “I’m just happy to help any way I can.”
On guard in Cleveland
The Cleveland Guardians have signed three free-agent righty relievers, Shawn Armstrong, Connor Brogdon and Colin Holderman. Yet, after finishing with the third-fewest runs in the majors, the only move they’ve made for a position player was to re-sign catcher Austin Hedges, a career .185 hitter.
Why so inactive?
Once again, the Guardians will operate with one of the game’s smallest payrolls. But they also are reluctant to block opportunities for a number of younger hitters, some of whom already have reached the majors, some of whom are closing in.
The Guardians actually played better last season after they released first baseman Carlos Santana on Aug. 28 and got younger. Their 19-4 finish enabled them to edge the collapsing Detroit Tigers for the AL Central title. Now they want to see more of Chase DeLauter, George Valera and C.J. Kayfus in the outfield, and leave room for Juan Brito and Travis Bazzana to eventually join their infield.
Six of the seven outfielders on the team’s 40-man roster bat left-handed, so the Guardians want to add a right-handed complement. They sought a reunion with Lane Thomas before he signed a one-year, $5.25 million free-agent contract with the Royals. But mindful of their young talent, they were willing to offer him at-bats only on the short side of a platoon.