The Arizona Diamondbacks finally put Ketel Marte rumors to rest. Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen told Steve Gilbert of MLB.com that talks “never ended up getting that close”. That decision not only affects Marte, but also other free-agent infielders such as Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette.
With Marte staying in Arizona for 2026 and beyond, the natural question is, what does that mean for Bregman? The Marte trade rumors, plus Bregman’s willingness to wait on Arizona, have held up the hitter market for quite a while.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the team is still open to signing the free-agent third baseman. However, the tweet comes off as “agent-speak” as Heyman named the Diamondbacks as “a team that cares about winning”.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today and John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports both report differently. That’s consistent with what Gambadoro said on his radio show on December 26. Barring some unforeseen event, the Diamondbacks’ pursuit of Bregman is likely over after Marte news.
Hazen was asked about Bregman but declined to discuss the topic, per his own policy on free agents.
Diamondbacks’ Next Steps
Hazen mentioned adding relievers as the next step. Gilbert notes that budget constraints could take them out of the top free agents; all the late-inning arms that were going to get a $10+ million-per-year deal have already signed.
The Diamondbacks were previously linked to former Braves right-hander Pierce Johnson during the Winter Meetings. Since that report, not much has changed.
In addition to free agency, the team could explore a potential trade. Other than Marte, who is now off the market, the team doesn’t carry many trade chips. With starters Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson off the table, that leaves just Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas as players they could move. Considering each player’s track record, they aren’t going to fetch a strong return.
The team is also looking for a first baseman. A reunion with a franchise icon certainly should be on the table, as Paul Goldschmidt has destroyed left-handed pitching his entire career. Ty France and Rhys Hoskins could also be on the table. Or even trading for the Orioles‘ Ryan Mountcastle, who lost his starting first base job after the team splurged on former Mets icon Pete Alonso.
Alex Bregman’s Free Agency Situation
With the Diamondbacks pulling out of Bregman’s market, that’s one less suitor to drive the price up.
As written on January 4, Bregman has gotten an “aggressive offer” from the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were one of the teams vying for Marte, but pulled out of discussions following their acquisition of Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals.
That aggressive offer was reportedly for five years and $160 million as the framework. The Diamondbacks simply do not have the budget to match that without getting insanely creative with their offer.
Heyman lists the Cubs and Blue Jays as other potential suitors for the former Astros and Red Sox third baseman. However, there might not be room for Toronto to add Bregman to its infield after signing Kazuma Okamoto. The Blue Jays are also heavily pursuing Kyle Tucker, hoping to add a strong left-handed bat to their lineup.
There’s a strong likelihood that Bregman eventually accepts the Red Sox’s offer, with few other suitors remaining to drive up the price.
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