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Red Sox’ Sam Kennedy: ‘If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here’
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- Red Sox’ Sam Kennedy: ‘If Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he’d be here’
FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox refused to grant a full no-trade clause to Alex Bregman , citing organizational policy, a source told MassLive last month.
Bregman, 31, ended up signing a $175 million contract with the Cubs , leaving Boston after just one season.
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On Sunday, team president Sam Kennedy refused to say whether Bregman asked for a no-trade clause and if the team would have granted one if he had asked for it.
"Look, if Alex Bregman wanted to be here, ultimately he'd be here," Kennedy said at JetBlue Park.
Kennedy was asked if the Red Sox have an organizational policy against giving out no-trade clauses:
"We try not to talk about organizational policies and the finer points of negotiations because it just doesn't serve you well if you do that," Kennedy replied.
Kennedy was asked if Bregman would have received a no-trade clause from the Red Sox if he had asked for one:
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"It's theoretical," Kennedy replied. "It's hard to know. Hard to know. There's many different parts of a contract negotiation. We did not come to an agreement. So obviously he's a Chicago Cub and wish him well until the end of the year."
The Red Sox' final regular season series is against the Cubs at Fenway Park from Sept. 25 through 27.
Kennedy also was asked if Bregman requested a no-trade clause:
"Don't want to go back and look at finer points of a negotiation," Kennedy said. "Just want to look forward, think about the group that we have in here now."
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Bregman batted .273 with a .360 on-base percentage, .462 slugging percentage, .821 OPS, 18 home runs, 28 doubles and 62 RBIs in 114 games (495 plate appearances) during his only season with Boston. The Red Sox signed him to a three-year, $120 million contract in February 2025 but he had player opt-outs after the first and second seasons. The Scott Boras client triggered his first opt-out to become a free agent in November .
"We're so grateful to Alex Bregman and what he meant to us," Kennedy said. "But look, in the end, when you have choices the way he did, you worked really hard to be in a position to become a free agent and perform at that level. He chose a different path, and we wish him well and looking forward to seeing him at the end of the season at Fenway."
Manager Alex Cora said he and Bregman have been in touch since the third baseman signed with the Cubs.
"We've been talking, just the usual," Cora said. "We have a great relationship. Happy for him. You put everything into perspective. It didn't work out here as far as like the business side of it, but we have relationships. ... The business side is business side. But we wish him nothing but the best and see him in September."
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