After beating their hated rivals, they moved on to the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were beaten in six games and then had to watch Los Angeles win the World Series.
The Mets attempted to build an even stronger team when they made the offseason’s most impactful free-agent move. They signed Juan Soto to a huge contract. Not only was he supposed to be the missing puzzle piece to a championship run, but they won the battle against the New York Yankees to bring him into the fold.
Despite a lineup that appeared to be loaded for manager Carlos Mendoza, the Mets fell badly in the second half of the season. Their stretch run was a failure and they did not even earn a spot in the playoffs as the Phillies ran away with the National League East Division title. The Mets finished the season with an 83-79 record and it was clear that the season was a disaster.
Despite the presence of Soto, slugger Pete Alonso, shortstop Francisco Lindor and designated hitter Starling Marte, the Mets were unable to climb to the level they were at in 2024, let alone rise above it.
The Mets could use another solid bat, a strong defensive third baseman and a player who can take over a leadership role in the clubhouse. That player could be Alex Bregman of the Boston Red Sox.
Bregman opts out of contract
Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox shortly before the start of spring training. The Red Sox won a duel with the Detroit Tigers to bring him aboard, but the contract he signed gave him the freedom to opt out of the deal after Year 1 or Year 2. Even though he appeared to enjoy his new team quite a bit — and he helped the Red Sox earn a spot in the American League playoffs for the first time since 2021 — he made the decision to become a free agent once again about a week after Boston’s season came to a conclusion.
Bregman had a solid but injury-plagued season with the Red Sox. He suffered a quad injury in May that cost him about one-third of the season. Once he returned to the Red Sox lineup, he was unable to run at full speed for about four weeks. Even when he was out of the lineup rehabbing from his injury, Bregman was a positive factor in the Red Sox lockerroom.
When he was able to play, Bregman was solid. He slashed .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 runs batted in. He flashed his ability at several points during the season, but the injury prevented him from having a dominant year.
Yankees and Mets will provide competition for Bregman’s services
He expected more of himself and the Red Sox expected more from him. His presence also caused a huge problem for the team when superstar Rafael Devers was forced to move from third base to designated hitter. It was clear that Bregman was a superior defensive player to Devers, but the move irked Devers.
When Devers was asked to pick up a first baseman’s mitt and take over for an injured player, he refused. The Red Sox traded Devers to the San Francisco Giants shortly thereafter. Devers’ absence from the Red Sox may have cost the team a division title.
The Red Sox don’t want to lose Bregman, but they may be hesitant to increase the offer they made a year ago. They may be forced to if they don’t want to lose him to either New York team.
It is clear that both the Yankees and Mets would benefit by employing an All-Star caliber third baseman. It’s possible that a bidding war could emerge for the the 31-year-old former Houston Astros star.
The key to signing Bregman may be offering him a four-year deal. He did not receive that option a year ago, but that’s what it may take to beat out the Red Sox. That’s something that both the Yankees and Mets would want to do.
The last thing that Mets owner Steve Cohen wants is to get beaten out by the Yankees. If the Yankees are willing to offer a four-year, $160 million deal, Cohen and the Mets will give him more.
Instead of a contract that pays him $40 million per season, the Mets will offer $42.5 million. That’s a four-year, $170 million deal, and that will be enough to beat out the competition in Boston and New York.
