Overview
- At Fort Myers, Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said, “If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here,” when asked about the third baseman’s departure.
- Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs, with reporting pointing to a full no-trade clause and more favorable deferrals as major factors as Boston did not match Chicago’s final offer.
- In a follow-up NESN interview, Kennedy acknowledged he sometimes says too much or too little and stressed appreciation for Bregman’s year in Boston.
- Kennedy said there was a breakdown in communication around the Rafael Devers trade and called it one of the organization’s toughest decisions.
- He rejected claims that ownership lacks urgency to win, citing a projected $256.1 million luxury-tax payroll, as outside analysts AJ Pierzynski and Erik Kratz criticized his Bregman comments.