Insider senses Cubs aren’t bluffing with growing Alex Bregman free agency push

As he was at the end of the offseason last year, Alex Bregman is quickly becoming a common storyline for the Chicago Cubs at the Winter Meetings. While Jed Hoyer wasn't shy about maintaining the organization's belief in Matt Shaw, there continue to be scenarios pointing to the Cubs making a serious push for Bregman this offseason.

The latest wrinkle is offered up by FanSided's Robert Murray, who reports that the Cubs were among the teams to have a Zoom meeting with Bregman a few weeks ago. If anything, the report from Murray only confirms that Hoyer's "surprise" over being linked to free agents like Bregman was closer to posturing than it was an actual feeling for the Cubs' president of baseball operations.

There's been a common expectation that the same three teams that chased Bregman as spring training started last season will be the same in the front of the chase for his services this offseason.

Jed Hoyer's surprise or not, it seems that the Cubs are firmly in the mix for Alex Bregman.

That certainly will be the case for the Boston Red Sox, who should be viewed as the frontrunner for Bregman, but that may not be the case for the Detroit Tigers. Bregman, himself, admitted that he believed he was headed to Detroit last spring before Boston stepped in and made the aggressive three-year offer worth $120 million.

The Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold (subscription required) reports that while the Tigers "like Bregman", they may not have the same urgency with which they approached his bidding last offseason.

Between the Cubs and Tigers, it feels like each team is trying not to get burned like they were last case. The premise being that they want to first see the Red Sox acquire a non-Bregman impact bat before diving fully back into the sweepstakes. It would make sense for Detroit to act with caution, considering they offered Bregman the most overall money before he inked the deal with the Red Sox.

The Cubs likely are comfortable in the background and ready to pounce if the situation dictates. For now, a full-on pursuit of Bregman could be tied to how the Cubs address their need for a starting pitcher. Trading for a cost-controlled starting pitcher would seemingly open a clear door for Bregman to be the next big signing.