Brewers' top rival hands expensive five-year deal to All-Star infielder Alex Bregman

What a terrible night for Wisconsin sports fans. On the same night of one of the worst losses in Green Bay Packers history, the Chicago Cubs signed one of the top bats on the free agent market. While the Chicago Bears were completing their second-half comeback, the Cubs signed third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract.

As MLB insider Jeff Passan notes in his report of the signing above, the Cubs attempted to sign the long-time Houston Astro to a contract last offseason, but ultimately lost the Bregman sweepstakes to the Boston Red Sox. Bregman's deal with Boston included an opt-out after the first season, and after posting the third All-Star season of his now-10-year MLB career, he exercised it, making him a free agent for the second consecutive offseason.

After being rather quiet in the free agent department all offseason, settling for under-the-radar bullpen signings rather than splashy top-tier relief arms and turning to the trade market for a starting pitcher addition, the Cubs have finally struck. Or rather splashed. While the move certainly bolsters their lineup in the near future, the financials of the five-year pact are significant, and the Cubs will be forced to carve out a big section of their payroll for the veteran third baseman for the next half of a decade. Even still, it's the type of needle-moving team that is sure to put pressure on the Milwaukee Brewers, who have enjoyed three consecutive seasons atop the NL Central.

Cubs sign Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million deal with no opt-outs

$35 million a year is a lot of money, but for at least a majority of the contract, Bregman can certainly be worth it. After peaking at 8.9 bWAR during a 2019 campaign that saw Bregman finish second in MVP voting in the American League, the veteran third baseman has settled into a 4-5 bWAR range when he logs a full season of games. He's likely good for 20-25 homers during the first few years of his contract with the Cubs, but that number could slip considering Bregman is coming from right-handed hitter paradises in Houston and Boston. Additionally, his underlying power numbers have started to take a hit, so it's possible Bregman is more of a 15-20 homer player at this stage in his career.

Where he excels, however, is his plate discipline. Bregman consistently ranks near the best in the league in chase, whiff, strikeout, and walk rate, which has led to a stellar career OBP of .365. However, once he's on base, he doesn't do much. A sprint speed in the 26th percentile and just 43 career stolen bases throughout his decade-long career, Bregman won't be swiping many bags for the Cubs next season. If Chicago elects to go with Michael Busch at the top of their lineup, as they did for much of last season, and Bregman in the two-hole, as many suspect, the Cubs will certainly be lacking in the speed department at the top of their lineup in 2026.

Defensively, Bregman has had good seasons and bad seasons, but he's more than capable of manning the hot corner for the Cubs as long as his arm can withstand it; he doesn't have a particularly strong arm for a third baseman, but it hasn't hampered his glove too much to this point. The addition does raise some questions about the rest of the Cubs' infield, with second-year infielder Matt Shaw, who has the ability to play both second and third base, and Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner both vying for playing time. Some have speculated that the signing will lead Chicago to trade Hoerner before the final year of his contract in 2026, and simply move Shaw to second, but a potential Hoerner trade is still in the rumor stage. Speaking of trades, insider Bob Nightengale noted that Bregman's contract includes a no-trade clause as well as no opt-outs, in the following succinct post.

It's no doubt a big move for the Cubs. They essentially get their Kyle Tucker replacement, but one who mans a defensive spot on the infield dirt instead of the outfield grass and hits from the right side rather than the left. The deal is likely to put pressure on the Brewers' front office, but Matt Arnold and company hardly ever allow the moves of their divisional opponents affect their own roster construction strategy. In other words, if the Brewers elect not to trade Freddy Peralta, it will be because they didn't receive a strong enough offer, not because the Cubs signed Bregman.

Even still, it's fair to wonder if the deal hands the Cubs the title of "favorites" heading into the 2026 season -- a title Vegas has already handed them. Assuming Bregman does replace the 4.6 bWAR that Tucker posted in 2025, has Chicago done enough to close the five-win gap that existed between them and the first-place Brewers last season? Time will tell, but there's no denying Bregman is a significant addition to the NL Central.