Alex Bregman’s $120 million contract has Red Sox acting like big-market team again

The Boston Red Sox stopped operating like a small-market team.

Alex Bregman stopped demanding $200 million.

The Detroit Tigers stopped from adding another year.

The Chicago Cubs stopped from subtracting a year.

The Houston Astros stopped cold in their tracks.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

And just like that, Bregman, a two-time World Series champion, two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, is now a Red Sox infielder after spending his entire career with the Astros.

Bregman, who dropped his demands for a long-term deal, agreed to a three-year, $120 million deferred contract with the Red Sox that includes an opt-out after each season, a person with direct knowledge of the contract told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke only on the condition of anonymity since the contract won’t become official until Bregman passes a physical.

The deal was staggering with its annual average salary of $40 million, tying Yankees MVP Aaron Judge for the sixth-highest AAV in baseball history, but a bargain price for the Red Sox with only a three-year commitment.

After all of the winter bluster, it really came down to only three teams: the Red Sox, Tigers and Cubs.

The Tigers, who offered a six-year, $171.5 million contract for Bregman, could have easily had him if they just bumped it up and added a seventh year, making it a $200 million deal. They refused.

The Cubs, who jumped into the sweepstakes late, could have grabbed him if they changed their four-year, $120 million offer to the same 3-year, $120 million like the Red Sox, or perhaps even went to five years. Nope.

The Astros, who made the first offer Bregman received for six years, $156 million, refusing to ever alter it, and even took it off the table.