Late-night breaking news out of Chicago tonight as the Cubs have shocked the baseball universe and landed Alex Bregman on a five-year, $175 million contract. After several days of speculation that the Boston Red Sox were going all-out to land the superstar third baseman, Jed Hoyer swooped in.
The Cubs have found their answer at third base, and Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has signaled a willingness to spend. At $35 million AAV, the Cubs are now positioned to wind up over the luxury tax this season. This threshold has typically served as a soft cap on spending. Landing Bregman on a deal begs the question of what will happen next in Chicago.
Chicago Cubs land Alex Bregman in late night shocker
Third baseman Alex Bregman and the Chicago Cubs are in agreement on a five-year, $175 million contract, sources tell ESPN. One year after their failed pursuit of Bregman in free agency, the Cubs land one of the biggest bats of the winter.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 11, 2026
What it means for the Chicago Cubs in 2026
There’s been a lot of speculation that if the Cubs landed Bregman, there’s a possibility second baseman Nico Hoerner could be on the move. That would mean Matt Shaw slides over to second, so it will be all eyes on Hoyer in the coming days. The Cubs could opt to use Shaw in a super utility role and make him the permanent second baseman after the 2026 season. The downside to that is that if the Cubs aren’t extending Hoerner, the argument will come up that it may be better to trade him now and further strengthen the pitching staff, however possible.
For now, the Cubs have their guy, and you figure out the rest along the way. A true leader in the clubhouse, Bregman’s arrival signals the Cubs are ready to do what it takes to win. After revamping the bullpen, landing Edward Cabrera via trade, and now Bregman, the Chicago Cubs are strong in all facets of their roster. At this point, it’s safe to say they may be winning the offseason. Take a look at the project lineup below.
- Nico Hoerner? 2B
- Alex Bregman, 3B
- Michael Busch, 1B
- Seiya Suzuki, RF
- Pete Crow-Armstrong
- Ian Happ, LF
- Dansby Swanson, SS
- Carson Kelly, C
- Moises Ballesteros, DH
Yeah, Cubs fans are feeling it tonight.
WHAT A NIGHT FOR CHICAGO.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) January 11, 2026
Top Image Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
