The 2024 season is done and now we get to the fun part.
On November 4, free agents are eligible to sign with new teams beginning at 5 PM ET. The biggest need for the Toronto Blue Jays is re-signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr., with a close second being rebuilding the bullpen. Two other areas of need are adding some power, as well as a long-term third baseman.
The final two needs are something Alex Bregman can help with.

Alex Bregman’s stats

While it wasn’t Bregman’s best season, it was still a good year overall. In 634 plate appearances with the Houston Astros, the 30-year-old slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 home runs, along with a 6.9 BB% and a 13.6 K% for a 118 wRC+ and a 4.1 fWAR.
Bregman is also strong defensively, posting 6 Defensive Runs Saved and 6 Outs Above Average in 1234.2 innings at the hot corner. Along with current Jay Ernie Clement, Bregman is a finalist for the American League Gold Glove at third base.
For his career, Bregman is slashing .272/.366/.483 with 191 home runs in 4,832 plate appearances, with an 11.9 BB% and a 13.4 K% for a 135 wRC+ and a 39.7 fWAR. His career high in both home runs (41), wRC+ (167), and fWAR (8.3) came in 2019, but he has consistently accumulated 4 fWAR+ in any season with more than 250 plate appearances.

Alex Bregman’s contract

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden predicts that Bregman will make $185.5 million on his next deal, with a term of seven seasons.
A good comparison is the extension that Matt Chapman signed with the San Francisco Giants during the 2024 season, as he agreed to a six-year deal worth $151 million. Chapman, a former Blue Jay, has less pop in his bat than Bregman but has a stronger glove.

Is Alex Bregman a fit for the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays haven’t had a long-term solution for their hole at third base since Josh Donaldson was traded to Cleveland back in 2018. Since then, they’ve used players like Joe Panik, Cavan Biggio, Jake Lamb, and plenty of other players who are long forgotten.
Matt Chapman was the closest they’ve had to fixing the need, as he played for the Jays in 2022 and 2023 before departing last winter. Before the start of the 2023 season, the Blue Jays offered Chapman a six-year, $120 million deal, meaning that it’s clear the team wants an established third baseman for the roster going forward.
With all that being said, if the Blue Jays miss out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes as they did with the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes last season, Bregman would be a good pivot.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.