In his first season in Boston, after signing with the Red Sox on a three-year, $120 million free agent contract, Alex Bregman made his third All-Star team, belted 18 home runs with an .821 OPS, and with just nine errors compiled a .969 fielding percentage that ranked eighth among all MLB third basemen.
And then, shortly after the end of the regular season, Bregman decided not to exercise his option to continue his contract with the Red Sox, making him a free agent for the second offseason in a row.
While some MLB pundits believe that Bregman may yet re-sign with Boston under a new, longer-term deal, his return is far from a sure thing. The Red Sox understandably are drawing up contingency plans to replace the three-time All-Star who will turn 32 at the start of next season.
According to one expert, Stephen Parello of BoSox Injection, a leading candidate on the free agent market eyed by the Red Sox as a Bregman replacement will now be unavailable.
MLB experts believed that Japan’s Yomiuri Giants — winners of a record 22 Japan Series championships — planned to post their six-time NPB All-Star corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto, making him available to any MLB team willing to meet his, and the Giants’ price.
Under the posting system, Japanese pro teams may offer any player who does not yet have nine full years of service to MLB teams, but the MLB team that signs the player must pay a hefty posting fee to the NPB team, as well as the player’s salary.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox — and any other teams interested in pursuing Okamoto — the 29-year-old NPB three-time home run leader will not be posted after all, according to a report Monday by international baseball expert Francis Romero.
“Several industry sources believe that the Yomiuri Giants will not post 3B/1B Kazuma Okamoto after the season,” Romero wrote on his social media feed. “Okamoto, 29, is one of the best hitters in Japanese baseball, with 248 career home runs.”
The Red Sox, of course, were not the only MLB team reportedly interested in signing Okamoto, were he actually available. The Chicago Cubs and, unsurprisingly, New York Yankees have also been rumored to be in pursuit of Okamoto. The posting period begins Nov. 1, meaning that the Giants — who have never posted one of their players — still have time to change their minds about making Okamoto available.
More MLB: Red Sox Expected to Lose 2nd-Round Pick With Famous Name to Free Agency