After a one-season stopover in Boston, Alex Bregman found his permanent home with another of Major League Baseball’s most storied franchises − the Chicago Cubs.
Bregman and the Cubs agreed to a five-year, $175 million contract Jan. 10, according to a person with direct knowledge of the agreement. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been finalized.
And so ends Bregman’s second crack at free agency, after his initial go-round ended with him signing a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox that contained opt-out clauses after every season. Bregman exercised that right knowing he’d be unencumbered by draft pick compensation and likely fare much better.
It took a couple months, but his strategy worked out with the Cubs extending the largest average annual deal − $35 million per season − in franchise history.
He’ll join Dansby Swanson on the left side of the Cubs infield and inject a swagger into a club that was eliminated in the NL Division Series by the Milwaukee Brewers this past season.
Swanson and Bregman were chosen No. 1 and 2 overall in the 2015 draft by Arizona and Houston, respectively, Bregman responding to the snub by wearing No. 2 throughout his career.
The Cubs deployed rookie Matt Shaw at third base last season, and he showed progress on both sides of the ball as the season progressed. However, he finished with a .226 average and an adjusted OPS worse than league average; Cubs third basemen finished 29th in OPS (.621) and 27th in homers (11). The club may also lose second baseman Nico Hoerner to free agency after 2026, potentially creating everyday room for both Bregman and Shaw.
Bregman was an All-Star in his lone season with Boston, hitting 17 home runs with an .821 OPS, helping the Red Sox get back to the playoffs for the first time in four years despite being limited to 114 games by injury.
A two-time champion (2017, 2022) with the Houston Astros, Bregman has been one of MLB’s most productive players since debuting in 2016. Bregman’s best year was 2019, slugging 41 home runs with 112 RBIs and a 1.015 OPS but the Astros lost the World Series in seven games.
Bregman was implicated in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal but faced no punishment from the league as Houston players were granted immunity for cooperating with MLB’s investigation.
Alex Bregman contract details
Bregman is signing a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. It contains no opt-outs.
Alex Bregman stats
Bregman has an .846 career OPS in 1,225 games since making his debut for the Astros in 2016.
2025: 3.5 WAR, 18 HR, 62 RBIs in 114 games
2024: 4.1 WAR, 26 HR, 75 RBIs in 145 games
2023: 4.9 WAR, 25 HR, 98 RBIs in 161 games
2022: 4.5 WAR, 23 HR, 93 RBIs in 155 games
2021: 2.3 WAR, 12 HR, 55 RBIs in 91 games
2020: 6 HR, 22 RBI in 42 games (COVID season)
2019: 8.9 WAR, 41 HR, 112 RBIs in 156 games
2018: 7.6 WAR, 31 HR, 103 RBIs in 157 games
2017: 4.3 WAR, 19 HR, 71 RBIs in 155 games
2016: 2.1 WAR, 8 HR, 34 RBIs in 49 games