Here are the betting favorites to land Alex Bregman in free agency

Are you surprised? Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman has opted out of his contract and become a free agent. Bregman had a bounce-back season, hitting .273 with 18 home runs in Boston. He was coming off a season where he hit just .260 and signed a 3-year, $120 million contract late in February. The move brought controversy as All-Star Rafael Devers was asked to move positions and declined. He eventually was traded to San Francisco, as Bregman and the team went on to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Bregman is represented by his agent Scott Boras. Despite a second half slump and and quad inury that kept him out of the lineup, the 31 year old will have suitors in free agency. Bookies.com recently projected the odds and percentages on his next team.

The Red Sox, at the moment, do not have Devers or Bregman and could go with one of their top prospects, Marcelo Mayer, at third base. The team was without Roman Anthony in the playoffs and missed his bat in the lineup. Removing Bregman would be a loss for a team that won 89 games. The Relationship with manager Alex Cora is one of the reasons Bregman signed in Boston; it could be one of the reasons he returns next season. Houston should be interested in Bregman, especially with his success playing at Daikin Park. AJ Hinch is the manager in Detroit, and Bregman was close to signing in Detroit before going to Boston.

The free agent options at third base are Eugenio Suarez and Japanese star Munetaka Murakami. The Red Sox were reportedly interested in Suarez at the trade deadline. Murakami is an intriguing prospect who hit 56 home runs in 2022.