After the Boston Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on June 15, many discussed the potential shortsightedness of the deal.
But plenty of other reporters and fans saw an Alex Bregman-Red Sox reunion as inevitable after his first season in Boston — he was an excellent role model for their top prospects, he was one of the few veterans in the clubhouse, his swing is built for Fenway Park and he was precisely the upgrade the Red Sox needed on defense. But a reunion would hinge on Boston's willingness to spend money on a long-term deal for a top free agent, which is nonexistent.