High-Profile Opt-Outs Loom Ahead of MLB Free Agency

At the conclusion of the World Series, three big names will likely opt out of their contracts and test MLB free agency, and uniquely, they are all clients of agent Scott Boras. Boras had all three clients sign short-term deals with opt-outs to prove their worth before testing free agency, like he did successfully with Matt Chapman and Blake Snell, among others. Let’s take a look at each player and where they may end up.

Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox on a three-year, $120 million contract in February, with opt-outs after each season. The expectation is that Bregman will opt out officially at the conclusion of the World Series. Bregman was the heartbeat of the Red Sox team as their clubhouse leader in 2025 and posted solid numbers when he was on the field. He sustained a right-quad injury in late May, not returning until July. Bregman is such a good fit for the Red Sox, especially in Fenway Park, and he seemed to enjoy his time in Boston.

It would be in Boston’s best interest to keep Bregman around, but the front office still seems split on whether they see him as a long-term asset. Other teams that could be a fit for Bregman include the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets. All six teams will be looking for upgrades at the hot corners this offseason, between free agents departing or looking to improve the overall roster.

Alonso re-signed with the New York Mets to a two-year, $54 million contract in January, continuing his tenure with the team that drafted and developed him. He had a resurgent season in Queens, being one of the team’s constant offensive forces throughout the season, even when the rest of the offense struggled at times. Alonso stayed with the Mets long enough to break the franchise’s all-time home run record, originally set by Daryl Strawberry.

“IT’S OUTTA HERE! OUTTA HERE! PETE ALONSO STANDS ALONE! THE POLAR BEAR, ON HIS OWN PRIVATE ICEBERG! PETE ALONSO, THE MOST PROLIFIC HOME RUN HITTER IN NEW YORK METS HISTORY!”

Gary Cohen on the call for Pete Alonso’s record-breaking 253rd Mets home run pic.twitter.com/Q3XXGx29vg

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 13, 2025

Alonso has held strong that he would love to remain a career Met, but the question now is, does the Mets front office, specifically David Stearns, value Alonso the same way? It has been well documented that the deal got done last offseason because of Steve Cohen’s influence — not that of Stearns. It will be interesting to see if the team retains its franchise star, but it is far from a certainty. Other teams involved will likely be the Red Sox, Mariners, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, and Texas Rangers.

Cody Bellinger signed with the Chicago Cubs in the winter of 2024, before having a good, not great season for the Cubs. Not knowing what his free agent value would be, Bellinger picked up his club option with the Cubs, but did not play a game for them in 2025, getting traded to the New York Yankees in December. Bellinger had a really good season for New York, posting a .272 batting average with 29 home runs and a .814 OPS, with stellar defense. The concern for Bellinger is how far his hard-hit rate has fallen, ranking in the bottom ten of all qualified hitters in baseball this season. Reports came out earlier this week that Bellinger would opt out of his deal.

Bellinger, a former NL Rookie of the Year and NL MVP, enjoyed his time in the Bronx, and the Yankees enjoyed having him and will pursue the free agent this offseason, though GM Brian Cashman did confirm to the media on Thursday that he has not had conversations with Bellinger’s camp yet. Other teams likely to pursue Bellinger are the Mets, Phillies, Mariners, and Atlanta Braves.

Main Photo Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images