Alex Bregman undeniably helped the Red Sox in the 2025-26 season more than anyone expected. There was always an expectation that he would defend well, see the ball well, and ultimately drive in enough runs to be a main part of the order, and he did just that, hitting .273 on the year. However, there was never any talk about just how effective he would be off the field as well. This wasn’t just about grabbing dinner with rookie teammates, either; Bregman was a source for everything players needed to know and do.
For a young roster coming into its own again to establish a consistency of knowing what to do and doing it, Bregman’s value can’t be capped. He provided himself as an older brother figure for the youth, an improv hitting coach for any hitter, and a mock opponent for any of the Red Sox’s pitching talent. All of this falls under the umbrella of a mental identity for Bregman, which was defined by a calm but precise in-game focus. As the team moves into upcoming seasons, the struggles that losing or winning will bring for a team yet to be defined will be plentiful, and are the roles Bregman served just going to vanish?
The Front Office Looms Large Moving Forward
Those roles Bregman served aren’t going to vanish, and this is where General Manager Craig Breslow and the Red Sox front office have to be mindful of this dynamic when inevitably considering a young player like Marcelo Mayer who could fill in as a replacement. To the Red Sox’ system, Mayer would come off as a suitable fit because of his superior defense while having similar injury concerns. Bregman not producing in these past playoffs and having an underlying injury, unfortunately, didn't help his case against this. For a team that’s rehauling its defensive approach, the Red Sox will definitely try to lean defensively on certain positions roster-wise. With all of this in mind, it might just take Mayer showing improvement in his swing mechanics over the offseason for Bregman to be easily disregarded.
The Red Sox could also be focusing more on swings and approaches in their lineup and opt for a free agent with simply more power than Bregman. With a trade deadline this past season that lacked a real presence at the plate, management could easily be trying to capitalize on this aspect with a free-agent infielder like Pete Alonso or an outside possibility like Kyle Schwarber. As a replacement for Bregman, Alonso would make a bit more sense to the front office in terms of being right-handed on a roster full of lefties. However, if Schwarber ever reaches contract talks with the Red Sox, the reality with him is a player who has been in Boston before and also made an impact away from the batter’s box. His time with the team in the 2021 season was brief but effective, setting the tone with diligent game preparation and a similar improv coach effect.
Regardless, though, is replacing Bregman with a fresher defender or a prototype really the plan moving forward? With the numerous ways a player like that helps in, it’s hard not to see the organizational uptrend being disrupted. Boston suffered an injury to rookie Roman Anthony, and the team's productivity nosedived from there; the vacancy certain players leave behind cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, analytics cannot weigh uncalculated numbers like this, and it creates a tough line to balance. With the team’s front office relying heavily on analytics, which have obviously had positive outcomes as well, it will be up to them to either rely on manager Alex Cora's advice or make a collaborative decision to move on.