The moment the Red Sox’s so-called “Plan B” behind Alex Bregman leaked, fans knew they wouldn’t like what they were about to hear — and they were right.
Instead of an exciting contingency or a bold pivot, the update painted a picture of a front office willing to settle far below expectations. For a fanbase desperate for a statement move, the idea of turning to a much less impactful alternative felt like a gut punch.
It immediately reignited frustration over the team’s recent hesitations and raised tough questions about whether the Red Sox truly understand the urgency of the moment. As reactions poured in across social media, it became clear that this wasn’t just another rumor — it struck a nerve.
And with more details starting to surface, the debate is only heating up.
The leak, first detailed in a Bleacher Report analysis by Kerry Miller on November 30, 2025, came at a precarious time for Boston.
Fresh off a heartbreaking Wild Card loss to the New York Yankees on October 1, the Red Sox had stormed back to relevance in 2025, finishing with 89 wins and their first playoff appearance in four years.
Central to that resurgence was Alex Bregman, the slick-fielding third baseman whose arrival from Houston the previous winter had injected stability and swagger into a lineup plagued by inconsistency.
Signed to a three-year, $120 million deal in February 2025 after a drawn-out free agency saga, Bregman delivered in spades: a .273 average, 18 homers, and 62 RBIs over 114 games, despite missing seven weeks with a quad strain.
His leadership in the clubhouse—mentoring young hitters like Ceddanne Rafaela and fostering chemistry amid Rafael Devers’ eventual trade—helped transform a middling offense into a playoff-caliber unit.
But Bregman’s opt-out clause, a Boras-engineered escape hatch, loomed large. On November 3, he pulled the trigger, declining the final two years and $80 million on the table.
It was no shock; his agent, Scott Boras, had been vocal about seeking a long-term commitment closer to six or seven years at $30 million annually. “No one wants a Breg-xit,” Boras quipped during a November 12 presser, a nod to the fans’ growing anxiety.
Boston’s brass, led by chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, professed love for their star but hinted at fiscal restraint. “We’re taking a holistic approach,” Breslow said post-opt-out, emphasizing the emergence of top prospect Marcelo Mayer, the No. 4 overall pick in 2023, who’s poised for a third-base audition in 2026.
Enter Plan B, the contingency that has Red Sox Nation reeling. Miller’s piece suggested pivoting to Japanese sluggers Munetaka Murakami or Kazuma Okamoto—power-hitting corner infielders from the NPB whose arrival would require navigating international signing rules and acclimating to MLB’s grind.
Murakami, a 25-year-old phenom with the Yakult Swallows, mashed 56 homers in 2025, projecting to a 40-homer pace stateside. Okamoto, slightly older at 29, offers similar thump with a more disciplined approach, belting 41 long balls for the Yomiuri Giants.
Both could slot in at first or third, pairing with Triston Casas upon his knee recovery. On paper, it’s intriguing: affordable upside without the $175 million sticker shock of Bregman’s asking price.
Yet the proposal landed like a squibber down the third-base line—safe but uninspiring. Fans, already scarred by years of perceived penny-pinching under owner John Henry, erupted on X (formerly Twitter).
“I’m tired of signing ‘Plan B’ players in an attempt to catch lightning in a bottle,” vented @JordanChabot on November 18, echoing a sentiment that rippled through threads. “Red Sox have an unreal core. Assets to trade.
But they could really push some chips in.” Others invoked the Devers trade—a midseason blockbuster on July 31 that sent Boston’s franchise cornerstone to the Angels for prospects and a rental starter—as a cautionary tale.
Bregman’s one-year audition had been the leverage to offload Devers’ $150 million extension, but now it felt like a house of cards. “They used Bregman as leverage… now they’re gladhanding each other for saving all that money,” fumed @The_Warlock_86 on November 30, capturing the betrayal many felt.
The frustration stems from deeper wounds. Boston’s 2025 offense ranked 15th in homers (186) and 20th in slugging (.410), a far cry from the bombastic lineups that defined their 2018 World Series run.
Fenway’s quirky dimensions demand right-handed power to exploit the Pesky Pole, and Bregman—despite his injury-marred second half (.250/.341/.386)—provided that balance.
Alternatives like Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber, both free agents and top targets per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey on November 24, offer proven pop: Alonso’s 46 homers in 2025 scream Green Monster glory, while Schwarber’s 56 dingers would terrorize right field.
But reports from MLB insider Jon Heyman on November 28 indicate the Sox are eyeing a multi-bat splash, potentially exceeding the $244 million luxury tax for the first time since 2018. A Bregman-Alonso tandem? Dreamy. Yet whispers of a Nolan Arenado trade— the $260 million shortstop from St.
Louis, who’s waved Boston’s no-trade clause—emerged as another fallback on November 23, only to fizzle amid Cardinals’ indecision.
Social media amplified the outrage into a full-throated roar. Hashtags like #BringBackBreg and #NoBregxit trended locally, with @BallParkBuzz polling fans on October 10: 78% demanded a swift pivot if Bregman balked, fearing a repeat of last winter’s delays.
Boras fueled the fire, leaking interest from the Mets and Tigers—Detroit’s ace Tarik Skubal even praised Bregman’s intangibles on November 20. “The Red Sox love Bregman… but won’t close the door on a reunion,” Jeff Passan tweeted on November 18, teasing a possible compromise.
Yet as Thanksgiving approached without a deal, Breslow’s silence spoke volumes. “Craig, if you discussed [the] contract… don’t fuck around,” implored @kelly23189 on November 27, voicing the impatience of a fanbase that views inaction as indictment.
This isn’t mere rumor-mongering; it’s a referendum on the Red Sox’s identity. After trading Devers to reset the payroll and banking on youth like Roman Anthony and Kyle Teel, Boston’s 2026 contention hinges on bold strokes.
The Gray acquisition on November 20—a trade for the Cardinals’ ace righty—signaled aggression, bolstering a rotation headlined by Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler. But without a Bregman anchor, or even an Alonso upgrade, the lineup risks reverting to 2024’s mediocrity: 78 wins, last in the AL East.
Plan B’s allure lies in its novelty—Murakami’s raw power could spark a global fan frenzy—but the risk is glaring. NPB stars often falter in MLB’s cauldron; Murakami’s 71 strikeouts in 2025 would exacerbate Boston’s league-high whiff rate (1,419 last year).
As December dawns, the clock ticks louder. Free agency opened November 11, and with the Winter Meetings looming, pressure mounts on Breslow to act. Fans crave the statement: a Bregman extension, perhaps sweetened with opt-outs, or a splashy Alonso signing to shift Casas rightward.
Anything less feels like settling, a betrayal of the urgency that propelled 2025’s miracle. “All roads will lead him back where he belongs,” predicted @BOSSportsGordo on November 18, clinging to hope amid the leaks. These two parties—the cerebral Bregman and the passionate Fenway faithful—need each other.
In a market flush with stars like J.T. Realmuto and Ketel Marte, Boston can’t afford half-measures. The debate rages on X, in bars from Revere to Roxbury: Is Plan B a bridge or a dead end? Only time—and Breslow’s next move—will tell.
For now, Red Sox Nation braces, hearts heavy with the what-ifs of another winter wasted.
