One of the big bats is finally off the board.
Late on Saturday evening, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Chicago Cubs have signed Alex Bregman to a five-year deal worth $175 million, featuring no opt-outs and a no-trade clause.
Third baseman Alex Bregman and the Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a five-year, $175 million contract, sources tell ESPN. One year after their failed pursuit of Bregman in free agency, the Cubs land one of the biggest bats of the winter.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 11, 2026
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Bregman is the first of the four big bats to come off the board, as we still wait for Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, and Cody Bellinger to sign. The good news with this signing is that Bregman has departed to Toronto Blue Jays’ American League East rivals, the Boston Red Sox.
A third baseman, Bregman departed the Houston Astros after the 2024 season, signing a three-year contract with the Red Sox, with opt-outs of course. Last season, he slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs in 495 plate appearances, down from his 26 home runs in 2024.
His career-best came in 2019, as Bregman slashed .296/.423/.592 with 41 home runs in 690 plate appearances for a 167 wRC+ and 8.3 fWAR. While he never reached those heights again, Bregman has been a consistent player, as he’s slashing .272/.365/.481 with 209 home runs in 5,327 career plate appearances. That’s good enough for a 133 wRC+ and 43.1 fWAR.
Early in the off-season, the Blue Jays were linked to Bregman by Passan. It made sense as well, as Bregman is a strong contact hitter who can hit home runs and get on base. But once they signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year deal early in January, there was no fit for Bregman.
That said, there is still a need for a big bat in the Jays lineup, with Tucker, Bichette, and Bellinger all being a fit. The best of the bunch is Tucker, as he also makes good contact, rarely strikes out, and can hit home runs. Additionally, he’s an outfielder, which the Jays will need after 2026 since both George Springer and Daulton Varsho’s contracts are expiring at season’s end.
Hopefully, this kick starts the market as Spring Training is under a month and a half away.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.