Though MLB’s 2026 Opening Day is still a little ways down the road, the Boston Red Sox are currently leaving it all on the field in hopes of retaining Alex Bregman. That may be easier said than done, and rumors indicate Boston has now come up with a triple-option Plan B in case things end sourly with the two-time World Series champion.
While keeping Bregman in town is still the main priority in The Hub, the Red Sox know better than to place all their eggs in one basket. Moreover, they aren’t missing the forest because of the tree. The free agency class is quite stacked, as are the potential trade candidates, and Boston has seemingly found its three candidates to fill out the void if Bregman happens to sign elsewhere.
“The Red Sox are also considering Bo Bichette, Kazuma Okamoto and Ketel Marte,” MLB Network insider Jon Heyman commented on Boston’s shopping list for the offseason.
Where Bichette and Okamoto
Although Bichette and Okamoto are both unrestricted free agents, they bring very different backgrounds to the table. Bichette is coming off a strong year with the Blue Jays, helping Toronto reach the World Series round of the MLB Playoffs. As concerns grew around his play at shortstop, Bichette is now willing to play at the second baseman position, which in turn could lead to him filling Bregman’s spot at 3B.
Bo Bichette is still unsigned in free agency
As for Okamoto, the 29-year-old Japanese infielder arrives fresh off the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) league. Okamoto has been linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates, as they explore a long-shot move to help out Paul Skenes and company. However, should Boston intervene, it could really tilt the scale on its favor as Okamoto has time to sign an MLB deal until Jan. 4, when his posting window closes.
see also
Red Sox’s youngster owed $50 million emerges as trade candidate amidst Alex Bregman’s uncertain MLB future
Marte is not a free agent
Ketel Marte, on the other hand, is currently under contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although Marte signed a six-year, $116.5 million deal with the D-backs, his name has gained much traction in the MLB rumor mill. According to The Athletic, the Red Sox are not included on Marte’s current five-team no-trade list. Thus, they can’t be ruled out of the race.
In more ways than one, Boston going after Marte could be a self-defense mechanism after Arizona entered the sweepstakes for Bregman. Sometimes, going on offense is the best defense, and Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow may think just that.
Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Update on Bregman
The Red Sox are still considered the favorites to sign Bregman out of MLB free agency. However, there is an unavoidable fact: the third baseman recently opted out of his three-year, $120 million contract in Boston. The main reason behind his decision was to secure a longer-term deal and cash in after a great season. But the fact remains that he has shown a willingness to cut ties with the Red Sox.
Whether that turns out to be a source of bad blood or not is a different question. At the end of the day, Bregman and Boston built enough fond memories in 2025 for both sides to want to run it back in 2026—and well beyond.
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