LAS VEGAS — The GM Meetings are usually the official start of offseason activity in baseball but no offseason has really begun until baseball’s most prominent agent, Scott Boras, starts delivering his signature, yet lame puns.
Lack of comedy aside, Boras again represents a few of this offseason’s biggest free-agent targets including first baseman Pete Alonso, third baseman Alex Bregman, right-hander Dylan Cease and left-hander Ranger Suárez.
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Things are likely going to be a bit easier for Alonso and Bregman in this year’s market compared to last winter when both were free agents but received qualifying offers that meant the team signing them had to give up draft compensation.
Bregman showed how good he could be after a down 2024 season. In his first year with the Boston Red Sox, he carried a .273/.360/.462 slashline with 18 home runs, 28 doubles and 62 RBI, and continued to be an above-average third baseman. He was limited to 114 games due to a right quad injury that cost him almost two months.
Outside of the Red Sox, teams like the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs could use the three-time All-Star. Those clubs were finalists for Bregman last offseason before he signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox that he opted out of earlier this month.
“Prior to 2025, Boston has been the kind of club that has Dunkin’ well below the playoff line. I think it was a bad roast in Beantown,” Boras quipped Wednesday. “Give the owners credit in ’25, they went out and spent some Star-bucks to bring in a Bregman blend that led them to the playoffs. I’m sure the Boston fans don’t want this to be a cup of coffee and no one wants a Breg-xit.”
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Alonso had arguably his best season since 2022 this past season, hitting .272 with 38 homers and 126 RBI. He set career highs with 170 hits and 41 doubles.
Since 2019, Alonso’s 264 home runs are the third-most in MLB, behind only New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and fellow free-agent slugger Kyle Schwarber.
The team that stands out on the Alonso market is coincidentally the Red Sox. Boston could use right-handed power and the power-hitting first baseman could thrive at Fenway Park.
“A playoff parched plethora will pounce,” Boras said, “to participate in the Polar Plunge.”
Japanese star Tatsuya Imai to post next week
One of Boras’ clients sure to garner interest is Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai. Boras confirmed that the Japanese phenom will be posted Nov. 19, officially opening Imai’s 45-day window to negotiate with MLB teams. Imai, 27, is considered one of the best arms available in this year’s market and he has age on his side to potentially break the bank.
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The right-hander went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA in 24 starts for the Saitama Seibu Lions of the NPB. Imai, who has played in Japan since 2017, has been one of the best pitchers in the world the past few seasons with an arsenal featuring a triple-digits fastball and slider.
One of the biggest advantages for Imai in this year’s market is that for teams looking to add starting pitching, there’s no qualifying offer attached. Several of the market’s best starters, including Cease, Suárez, Framber Valdez, Zac Gallen, Michael King, Shota Imanaga and Brandon Woodruff all have QOs attached.
Boras on betting in baseball
Boras struck a more serious tone as it related to the continuing investigations across sports as it relates to sports betting. On Sunday, the Cleveland Guardian pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted in federal court on sports betting and money laundering conspiracy charges, which included “rigging pitches” for co-conspirators.
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Ortiz pleaded not guilty in federal court Wednesday and Clase is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. MLB announced Monday that its betting partners agreed to limit pitch prop bets to a $200 betting limit.
Boras said more needs to be done to protect the integrity not only for the players, but the sport itself.
“You have to remove those prop bets to make sure that the integrity of the players is not questioned,” Boras said. “Because there’s going to be all forms of performance questions given now to pitchers and such when they throw certain pitches to the back of the screen, or situationally, and really, we don’t want any part of it. We want the players’ integrity never to be questioned.”
