The Arizona Diamondbacks made a monumental decision in opting to keep Ketel Marte rather than trade him away. When the second baseman begins the season with the Diamondbacks, he may be sharing the diamond with another star.
Despite Marte staying on the roster, Arizona remains interested in signing third baseman Alex Bregman, via Jon Heyman of the New York Post. They aren't alone in their pursuit, but the Diamondbacks are remaining in the free agency sweepstakes.
“Word is, they are still open to Alex Bregman, who has a robust market (also Boston, Toronto, Cubs),” Heyman wrote. “D-Backs are a team that cares about winning.”
Playing in the NL West, the Diamondbacks will need to spend to stay afloat with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. They proved they were willing to do so when they signed Corbin Burnes to a $210 million contract. Bringing Bregman into the fold would show that Arizona is serious about competing for a playoff spot.
At the same time, they'll be battling some of the biggest franchises in the game for his services. Bregman's debut with the Boston Red Sox resulted in an All-Star appearance, .273 batting average, 18 home runs and 62 RBIs. Over his entire 10-year MLB career, Bregman has hit .272 with 209 home runs and 725 RBIs. He is a three-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion.
With Marte back on board, Arizona seems poised to at least try and contend in 2026. Signing Bregman would make the Diamondbacks a much scarier threat in the NL West and beyond.
