The Chicago Cubs haven’t been shy about making blockbuster moves this winter and it looks like they are circling another one.
After trading away former Most Valuable Player Award winner Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees and acquiring Kyle Tucker and Ryan Preslly from the Houston Astros, the team has reportedly made an offer to another Astros star.
“Sources have confirmed that the Cubs have offered Alex Bregman a four-year contract, with opt-outs, worth north of $100 million,” Jacob Zanolla of Cubs Insider reported.
The news of the offer came shortly after Astros general manager Dana Brown shared some harsh comments about the likelihood of Bregman returning to the team as his free agency wears on.
“During his address at the team’s annual media luncheon, Dana Brown twice spoke about Alex Bregman in the past tense, saying once that the team ‘lost Bregman,’” according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
Bregman has been a key part of the Astros’ postseason success over the last decade, having earned two All-Star bids, a Silver Slugger Award, a Gold Glove Award and MVP Award votes multiple times in his time there.
But as the 30-year-old explores his options on the free agent market, a reunion with the Astros appears to be out of the question. The team offered him a six-year, $156 million contract early in the offseason, but that was apparently insufficient to earn his commitment to return.
The Cubs offer as reported by Zanolla could give Bregman a chance to earn a higher annual salary while re-asserting his value and re-testing the market in the near future. If he’s unable to find a larger long-term deal from another team, it could be the kind of contract that makes sense for him as spring training rapidly approaches.
A fit with the Cubs could also be good for Bregman on the field, as he’d instantly seize the starting third base role from the likes of Vidal Bruján or Jon Berti.
As the Cubs look to end a prolonged playoff drought and Bregman looks for a new home after a prolonged free agency, this latest offer could finally be the right match for the slugger.
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