The Boston Red Sox are widely expected to reunite with Alex Bregman for the 2026 season and beyond after the third baseman's second stint in free agency. Despite that prevalent expectation, a few bold reporters and insiders have differed from the pack, noting that Boston could be unlikely to match Bregman's price this time around.
In the event that they're right, the Red Sox will need to come up with a backup plan at third base. Marcelo Mayer could be a solid internal solution, but if Boston plans to use him at his natural shortstop position in the future, they should probably play him there as much as possible while he's still learning in the big leagues.