With the Red Sox heading home for the winter, we turn our attention to the rest of the postseason, and then to Alex Bergman’s decision on whether to opt-out, which is due five days after the end of the World Series. Unsurprisingly, Garrett Crochet would like to see him back in Boston: “Obviously, he was a big boost to the team this year. I think everyone’s got nothing but positive things to say about him as a teammate. That’s out of my control. Regardless of where he ends up — I hope it’s with us — but that’s a guy that I’ll root on for the rest of his career.” (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
The consensus of the baseball world seems to be that it is “near certain” that Bregman will opt-out, though. One rival AL executive said that “he probably tests the whole market unless Boston pays a premium [to extend him],” ultimately predicting that it will take a front-loaded five-year deal to sign the All-Star. (Mark Feinsand, MLB.com)
If Alex Bregman does opt-out, it’s hard not to think that this version of the front office will be hesitant to offer any more than two or three years given Bregman’s age. But, in addressing the media after the series loss, Sam Kennedy did say that there’s “a mutual admiration” between Bregman and the club. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
But the Bregman decision alone won’t be what makes or breaks the offseason, not when the Sox could use another power bat and another arm to pair with Garrett Crochet at the top of the rotation. There isn’t too much work to do, though. As Alex Cora says, “as an organization [they] are in a great, great, great place.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
But knowing that the Sox need another bat, it’s hard not to look back on the Rafael Devers trade with regret. (Conor Roche, Boston.com)
One piece the Sox won’t need to go after is a closer, though. Aroldis Chapman has just been named the Baseball Digest Reliever of the Year. (MLB.com)
