Morning Sports Update
Bregman and Story both have player options for the 2026 season.
Alex Bregman, Trevor Story dish on their player options: The Red Sox’ 2025 season came to an end on Thursday as they fell to the Yankees in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, but two of their top possible pending free agents aren’t ready to turn the page yet.
Alex Bregman and Trevor Story, who both have player options this offseason, didn’t make a commitment on what they will do this winter.
“Not even thinking about that at all right now. Thinking about the game that just happened,” Bregman told reporters. ” I’m gonna think about this game and the guys in the room and start my offseason. Get after it and become a better baseball player.”
“It’s not at the top of mind. I’m not gonna speak on that right now,” Story added.
Bregman and Story each expressed a desire to remain in Boston, though. Story, who signed with the Red Sox in 2022, said that he “came here to be here for a long time.”
Bregman, meanwhile, replied “of course” when asked if he could envision himself staying in Boston for the long haul. But he also made a bit of an ominous comment.
“We envisioned winning tonight and making a deep run,” Bregman said. “Proud of the fight in the room. Proud of the guys. It was an honor to put on this jersey.”
Bregman, who signed a three-year, $120 million deal to join the Red Sox in February, has been widely rumored to decline his player option and become a free agent. But the Red Sox and their starting third baseman had extension talks during this season before tabling them in August.
Bregman, who’ll be 32 when the 2026 season opens, was arguably Boston’s best hitter for the 2025 season, hitting .273 with a .821 OPS and 18 homers in 114 games. However, after returning from a quad injury, Bregman’s play took a hit in August and September, hitting .187 in his final 27 games of the season. Bregman went 3-for-10 in the Wild Card Series.
Story, meanwhile, might be easier to return for the Red Sox if he opts out of his contract. While Story can opt out of the two years and $55 million remaining on his six-year contract, the Red Sox can negate that by adding a seventh year to his deal for an extra $25 million in 2028.
Story, who’ll turn 33 in November, had a career resurgence this season, hitting .263 with 25 home runs. He was arguably the Red Sox’ top hitter over the final three months of the year, hitting .291 with 13 homers in his last 75 regular-season games. He was also the Red Sox’ best hitter in the Wild Card Series, going 5-for-13 from the plate with a homer.
As Story played in the postseason for the first time since 2018, he said that his “joy for the game definitely came back this year.” If Story does remain in Boston, he’s hoping that the Red Sox prioritize keeping Bregman.
“You saw the impact that he had on this organization, on the field, off the field, leadership-wise, all of it, man,” Story said. “And he’s a special player, he’s a special mind, and hopefully we can keep him for a long time.
“I think it’s a huge priority.”
Trivia:
Thursday marked the first time in 22 years that the Yankees knocked the Red Sox out of the postseason. Who started at shortstop and third base for Boston in the elimination loss?
(Hint: One of the players remained for the 2004 World Series team.)
Scores and schedule:
The Red Sox’ 2025 season came to an end on Thursday, getting shut out by the Yankees, 4-0, in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. The Yankees will take on the Blue Jays in the ALDS.
Boston College football will look to end its three-game losing streak when it faces Pitt on Saturday. Kickoff for that game is at noon.
The Bruins have one more tune-up before the regular season begins. They’ll host the Rangers in their preseason finale at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Finally, the Patriots play on “Sunday Night Football” for the first time in two years when they take on the Bills in Buffalo. Kickoff for that game is set for 8:20 p.m.
Read more from Boston.com:
Xander Bogaerts on wrong end of bad strike call
A former Red Sox star also saw his season end on Thursday. Xander Bogaerts and the Padres fell to the Cubs, 3-1, in their deciding Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. Bogaerts had a chance to help the Padres tie the game in the ninth, but he struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch that appeared to be a ball.
The Padres were able to get the tying run on base later in the ninth, but couldn’t capitalize. Hours after the game ended, video emerged on social media of members of the Padres berating the umpiring crew as they left the field.
Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne show out for 49ers
The former Patriots quarterback and wide receiver made it look like it was 2021 as they helped the 49ers beat the Rams, 26-23, in overtime on Thursday. However, the duo actually had a better performance in that game than they did in the vast majority of the games they played in their Patriots careers.
Jones’s 342 passing yards in the 49ers’ win were the second-most he threw in a game of his career, while Bourne’s 142 receiving yards were a career high. Jones also threw for two touchdowns as he battled through some hard hits on Thursday.
Daily highlight:
Shades of Derek Jeter? Ryan McMahon put an exclamation point on the Yankees’ Game 3 win over the Red Sox when he caught Jarren Duran’s pop fly in foul territory as he fell in Boston’s dugout.
On this day:
Twenty-one years ago on Friday, the Patriots tied the NFL record for the longest win streak in league history (regular season and postseason combined). They defeated the Bills, 31-17, for their 18th straight victory, putting them in a tie with the 1933-34 Bears. Tom Brady threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Trivia answer: Nomar Garciaparra and Bill Mueller
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