The New York Yankees carried out their offseason blueprint in response to Juan Soto’s departure by swinging a commerce with the Chicago Cubs that — unintentionally — might work in favor of the Boston Pink Sox.
New York acquired outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger — and $5 million of the 29-year-old’s wage — from Chicago, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, in alternate for right-handed reduction pitcher Cody Poteet. Bellinger’s arrival in The Bronx follows the Yankees’ Max Fried signing, demonstrates New York’s dedication to remain engaged, and poses a (Pink Sox-associated) query.
Are the Yankees out on free-agent infielder Alex Bregman now?
Bregman was linked to 6 groups together with the New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Pink Sox and Yankees, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Monday. The 30-year-old lasted almost a decade in Houston, making two All-Star Video games and serving to the Astros win two World Collection titles, nevertheless, Bregman’s return to the American League West isn’t a assure.
Therefore, the door has been opened for Boston’s chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to reunite Bregman and Pink Sox skipper Alex Cora, who shared Houston’s dugout throughout its 2017 championship run.
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Since final season’s commerce deadline, Breslow vocalized the franchise’s want for a right-handed bat. To not point out, the Pink Sox have already misplaced right-handed-hitting outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who led the staff with 31 residence runs and signed a three-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles earlier this month.
Bregman, a 2019 Silver Slugger Award recipient, matches the mildew of a alternative. He belted 26 moonshots final season, is a profession .375 hitter in 21 video games at Fenway Park, has 99 playoff appearances beneath his belt — with 26 within the Fall Basic — and has a rapport with Cora. That covers all of the important bins that should be checked after which some, opening the lane for Breslow and the entrance workplace to observe up their offseason splash of buying All-Star pitcher Garret Crochet from the Chicago White Sox at MLB’s Winter Conferences in Dallas.
No matter how the Pink Sox make the most of franchise star Rafael Devers, both at third or first base, including Bregman supplies defensive depth, thus, giving Cora nifty lineup versatility. Bregman earned a Gold Glove Award for his work within the scorching nook final season, but in addition has massive league expertise at second base and shortstop — and two video games in left discipline.
New York, thus far, is already on the hook for Fried’s eight-year, $218 million contract — the most important ever given to a left-handed pitcher — and $22.5 million of Bellinger’s wage subsequent season, that means curiosity in placing Bregman in pinstripes might fade.
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The Pink Sox, alternatively, might be certain that Bregman does make a West-to-East shift and calls Fenway Park his new residence for the subsequent few seasons.
