Scott Boras credits Red Sox for persistence in Alex Bregman pursuit

All offseason long the Red Sox have spoken about the need to act with urgency to restore the club to its place as a perennial contender, but after five years of falling short those words were beginning to ring hollow with many fans.

Yet this week the club’s efforts culminated in the signing of Alex Bregman, and during the two-time All-Star’s introductory press conference on Sunday agent Scott Boras said the front office’s actions behind the scenes lived up to its public pronouncements.

“I think (Craig Breslow) may have led in GM phone calls to me, it might have been 14 or 15,” Boras said. “John (Henry), Tom (Werner), all actively involved calls, Tom from 3:30 in the morning in England. I think they had their eyes on AB as the perfect fit.”

After months of negotiations, the Red Sox signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal that includes opt outs after each season and significant deferrals. Bregman reportedly chose Boston over longer offers from the Detroit Tigers (six years, $171.5 million) and the Houston Astros (six years, $156 million), both because of his belief in the club’s ability to win and because of the flexibility the deal provides as far as testing free agency again in future years.

Boras described the deal as a win for both sides and credited the Red Sox for their persistence in getting it done. He also recounted a meeting with ownership early in the process that helped set the tone for the negotiations.

“The idea was there was a bit of a charge, a bit of an onus to really return back to winning,” Boras said. “Probably a conversation I had with John where he expressed a sincerity and more of a passion of saying we’re missing something here that should be here, that has been here, something that’s been lost, and we have a strong intention to return it.”

Boras expanded on that meeting following the press conference, telling reporters it took place after the Red Sox missed out on signing Juan Soto. He said even amid their pursuit of the future New York Mets star it was clear how much they coveted Bregman, and he believes they would have continued to pursue him even if they had landed Soto.

“I could tell from knowing John back with the Marlins and such that he a real onus about we need to really do things differently than what we’ve done before,” Boras said. “Tom came out, we had dinner in LA and he voiced the same thing. I knew from the ownership level they were really looking to correct what has happened the last five or six years.”

“This is a point in time where I believe Red Sox ownership was again hungry for championship play,” he continued. “I think they’re very very exhausted with what has happened the last few years here.”

Bregman, the Red Sox hope, will be the missing piece that helps restore the club to its winning ways. The longtime Astros third baseman has played in the postseason every year since 2017, and he’s widely renowned as the kind of clubhouse leader who can elevate everyone around him.

But the Red Sox were also hesitant to hamstring themselves over the long haul, especially with several top prospects on the verge of reaching the majors.

“I think their greatest need was they wanted to see a lot about how their younger players are playing and they also wanted to see what AB’s involvement was, or who he was,” Boras said. “As much as (Alex Cora) can tell them about Bregman’s influence, I think it’s something an organization has to really feel to put a value on it.”

The shorter-term deal, structured similarly to the one Carlos Correa signed with the Minnesota Twins, was unlike any the Red Sox had ever agreed to before, but ultimately it proved the best path forward. Bregman said he was comfortable leaving more than $50 million in guaranteed money from Detroit on the table because “I believe in my abilities,” and the Red Sox now get a player they hope can help turn the page on a dark era of the franchise’s history.

“This was a difficult process for teams, AB’s situation was very much in demand and I credit them because they had to go through a lot of avenues and trajectories to work out something that fit for both sides,” Boras said. “I give Bres a lot of credit because it’s difficult to make 14 phone calls to get something done. I credit him for that.”