Chicago.– The Chicago Cubs made one of the most important moves of the offseason by reaching an agreement with third baseman Alex Bregman for five years and US$175 million, according to multiple sources to MLB.com.
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The agreement, pending a medical examination and without official confirmation from the club, includes a complete no-trade clause and does not contemplate early departures. If finalized, it will be the contract with the highest average annual value in the history of the franchise (US$35 million) and the third largest in total amount, only behind the agreements of Jason Heyward (8 years/US$184 million) and Dansby Swanson (7/US$177 million).
Key move for a contending team
Bregman's signing represents a strong statement of intent for a team that won 92 games in 2025 and advanced to the postseason as a wild card, before falling to the Brewers in the National League Division Series.
During the winter, the management had proposed to add an impact opener and a star bat. This week they took the first step by acquiring right-hander Edward Cabrera from Miami, and now they reinforce the heart of the offensive order with one of the best available free agents.
Bregman, 31 years old, is coming off a solid season with the Boston Red Sox, in which he batted .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs, 28 doubles, and 62 RBIs in 114 games, despite missing time due to a quadriceps injury. He was called to his third All-Star Game and helped Boston qualify for the playoffs.
Before his time with the Red Sox, the third baseman played nine seasons with the Houston Astros, an organization with which he won two World Series (2017 and 2022), was twice a champion of the Fall Classic, a three-time All-Star, and a Gold Glove winner.
In 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, Bregman exhibits a lifetime offensive line of .272/.365/.481, with an OPS+ of 132 and two appearances among the top five in the Most Valuable Player voting, including a second place in 2019 after hitting 41 home runs.
With Bregman's arrival, the Cubs' infield looks strengthened with Dansby Swanson at shortstop, Nico Hoerner at second base, Michael Busch at first base, and Bregman at third base. Young Matt Shaw, who had a good second half as a rookie, could assume a utility role, providing depth and flexibility to the roster.
The Chicago directive is betting heavily on dethroning Milwaukee in the Central Division of the National League and returning to the World Series for the first time since 2016. To do this, they are adding a player with experience in nine postseasons and more than 100 playoff games played.
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