"Long a rumored target of the Toronto Blue Jays - including as recently as a few weeks ago - Alex Bregman finally found a long-term home, inking a five-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. The deal is worth $175 million, a hefty sum for a soon-to-be 32-year-old third baseman. He's still a star in the league and should immediately position the Cubs as championship contenders, but it's not hard to imagine the contract aging poorly."
"A complicated set of deferrals brings the present-day value of his deal down, but with no team options and a full no-trade clause attached, Bregman's contract could start to look really onerous at the tail end once he's in his late thirties. Meanwhile, Okamoto, who is two years younger than his hot corner counterpart, is owed $115 million less on his pact."
Alex Bregman signed a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, immediately boosting Chicago's championship outlook while creating long-term risk. The contract uses deferrals but includes no team options and a full no-trade clause, which could make the deal onerous in his late thirties. The Blue Jays instead signed Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract, saving $115 million in total owed and picking a player two years younger. Okamoto produced a .327/.416/.598 slash line with 15 home runs and a 210 wRC+ in 69 NPB games in 2025, with equal walk and strikeout rates of 11.3% each. Bregman hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and a 125 wRC+ across 114 games in 2025, missing time with a quad injury. Comparing their production widens the value gap in favor of Okamoto.
Read at Jays Journal
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