Fantasy Baseball Today - 🚨Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs! - Emergency Podcast (1/11 Fantasy Baseball Podcast)

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

Alex Bregman is headed to the Cubs on a five-year, $175 million deal (2:22)! What's his early ADP (6:55)? ... As of now it looks like Matt Shaw is on the outside looking in (13:50). ... What's next for the Red Sox after losing Bregman (17:22)? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/FantasyBaseballToday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Download and Follow Fantasy Baseball Today on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sptfy.com/QiKv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow our FBT team on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@FBTPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CPTowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CBSScottWhite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Roto_Frank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join our Facebook group at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/fantasybaseballtoday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sign up for the FBT Newsletter at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/newsletters/fantasy-baseball-today/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more fantasy baseball coverage from CBS Sports, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now here's Frank Scott and Chris. It was a big night in Chicago. Let's talk about it. Welcome into an emergency edition of fantasy baseball today on Sunday, January 11th. I am Frank Stamphill, joined by Chris Towers. While DeBair's were making a heroic comeback against the Packers, the Cubs were busy signing Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million deal, with 70 million of that deferred.

It's a great real-life edition for the Cubs. Obviously, they get a veteran who's been there before. for ads leadership, still productive on both sides of the ball. But what about the fit in Wrigley for his fantasy value? Chris, my original thought was, man, this move could just be absolutely terrible for Alex Bregman's value. Dug in a little bit more. I don't feel as badly about it now.

What do you think about Alex Bregman in Chicago? It depends on which way the wind blows. That's like actually literally the answer, unfortunately, because by dimensions, Rigley is not a great place for right-handed pull power. If you look at the dimensions, it is super deep down the line, 355 feet down the left field line. But because of the way it's angled, because it's in this city block, it's actually very shallow in left center.

It's one of the most shallow left center parks and baseball. And Alex Bregman, you know, we've made the East Sock Parades comp a lot with Alex Bregman. And Bregman is not quite as much of a dead. dead pull hitter as East Sock Pradesh can only hit for power if he hits it right down the line. Bregman has a couple of miles per hour of average eggs of velocity on him. I think last year it was actually like 90 miles per hour, which is average-ish. But the last couple of years, the wind has been blowing in from left field a lot more often at Wrigley Field. I think I saw Scott say it was something like 53 of 71 games last season or some number like that.

So obviously that's going to hurt for a player who does have fringe raw power. But I think from like a home runs perspective, this downgrade isn't as much as you might think. It's just the overall offensive environment at Wrigley Field has been a lot worse over the past three years than in Boston. For right-handed hitters, Fenway has a 102 Park Factor. That is the sixth best in the game. Riggily's 96.

That is the second worst over the past three years. it's actually a slightly better ballpark for home runs for right-handed hitters, but it's worse for everything else. Fenway is a big babbit inflator for right-handed and left-handed hitters, but especially for right-eys. And Fenway does not. It's harder to hit other types of extra base hits than it is to hit home runs at Wrigley. So on the whole, I would say net downgrade. Now, the other complicating factor there is Breggman actually wasn't very good. at Fenway last season. He was 761 OPS, 246 batting average at home, 875 on the road.

So it's not quite so simple as just, well, this is a bad ballpark. He's going to be worse than he was last season. On the whole, I think you look at it and, you know, maybe you project something more like a 260 batting average. Maybe the overall line probably looks a little more like what it was in 2024. when yes, he was playing in Houston, but it wasn't very good. 260, 768 OPS, sub 200 ISO. I think he's still a good player. I think, you know, you project 260 batting average, 25 plus homers, good play discipline, good run production numbers in that lineup.

I think it's still a valuable and useful fantasy option, but not a guy I'm moving up as a result of this signing either. Yeah, I agree with that. I think it might be a slight net negative here for Alex Bregman, especially if he would have went back to Fenway. Both lineups, I think, are very good. Maybe the Red Sox even a little bit better if they would have had Bregman in that lineup. But it is a great park for right-handed batting average, as you pointed out.

I do have the spray chart pulled up here for those watching on YouTube. This is an overlay with Wrigley Field. So as you see, I mean, there are some home runs that he probably would have gained in left center field last year playing all of his games at Wrigley. and he had 18 total home runs Alex Bregman last season according to Stackcast if he played all of his home games

at Wrigley Field that would have been 19 So again, I don't know that this is going to be a death sentence for his power per se But I do think the batting average will come down So I agree with that part of it I think it's like a 250 to 260 Batting average 23 to 25 home runs

And good counting stats I think this Cubs lineup is really good If you look at the top half of it In some order Michael Bush, Breggman, Ian Havis Sayas Suzuki, P. Crow Armstrong. So I'll leave that up to the people to decide. Where would you draft that player?

250 to 260, 23 to 25 homers. Maybe it's like 90 plus runs, 90 plus RBI, something like that. It might be a low-end starting third baseman, a high-end corner infielder. His ADP over the past two weeks, 116. That might be a little bit high, Chris. You know, there's one name I look at right now, and I feel like he's really undervalued.

It's Matt Chapman. he's going around 175. The batting average will be lower for Chapman, but is there a massive difference between Chapman and someone like Breggman? Should they be going 60 picks apart in ADP? I don't know that that should be the case. Yeah, I think there are a couple of third basemen who stand out as particularly undervalued right now. I think Chapman, I would make the case for Royce Lewis being a little undervalued.

His ADP is right around 200. the one that really stands out. And I think every third baseman looks bad by comparison as ESOC Paredes, who is outside of the top 280P, or at least was the last time I pulled the data. It might have changed in the last week or so. It's 188 over the past two weeks. Okay.

I guess people are starting to think he might not get traded. I think ESOC Paredes still at 188 or whatever. I'd probably rather have Bregman than ESOC Paredes, but it's pretty close. So that's one where I'm not going to be particularly excited about signing or adding Bregman and I would guess Bregman's price moves up now that he's signed in these drafts just because that's what you usually see it probably will happen but yeah I don't agree with that happening I'm not saying it should it's just that's how the that's the

mechanics of the NFBC ecosystem is that once guys signed they tend to move up and it's not such a disastrous landing spot that I think you you move him down but I do think there is some risk here because Alex Bregman is 31 years old On the wrong side of the aging curve, the quality of contact metrics actually haven't really taken a hit. He's actually been remarkably consistent over the past five years. There's been some fluctuation in the average exit velocity, but the expected Wobon contact, the last five seasons, 340, 347, 346, 346, 346. Actually, kind of crazy, consistent. And so the, you know, the strikeout rate is the main reason why his production has faltered relatively spout.

speaking over the past five years. You know, he's gone from like an 11 to 12% guy to a 14% guy. I don't think that stuff's likely to get much better as he gets older. So I think we're in the decline phase for Bregman. Not a player you should be excited about, but a perfectly fine starting third basement, I think. Over the past two weeks, his ADP is identical with A Eugenio Suarez. It is hard for us to compare just because we don't know where Suarez is going to play yet.

If he goes back to Seattle, I think obviously we would probably downgrade him. I don't think I'd take him in the top 200 if he goes back to Seattle. Yeah, that's totally fair. One thing I do wonder is, hey, the Red Sox now have an opening at third pace, right? Like, they could put Marcel O'Meer there. I think they'll be in on Boba Chet. Suarez feels like he'll be a perfect fit in Fenway. So that's just me kind of wishcasting.

I haven't seen anything about that. But right now, just knowing what we know, who would you rather have, Bregman or Suarez? Suarez? Yeah, I think so too. What about Breggman versus Westberg, who's going about 12 picks behind Breggman right now? Westberg. What about Breggman or Noelvie Marte who's going about 23 picks behind? I'm lower on Marte than the consensus.

I'm actually... I find his price a little confusing. I know he's a pretty exciting player, but the overall numbers were actually not that great. 748 OPS. The 14 homers and 10 steals, like if he can be a 25-20-ish guy, then I guess you get pretty excited about it. But he also, if I'm remembering correctly, let me pull up the numbers. He crashed pretty hard.

His September was brutal. It was like a 500 OPS or something. Yeah, 30% strikeout rate. He was cruising before. Like he looked really, he kind of looked like he was breaking out before that September. Yeah, it's, yeah, he had two really, like July and August were really good. September was awful. I don't know. I, yeah, I'm lower on Marte than the consensus. He's around 170, so I do have Bregman ahead.

I have Issaq Paredes ahead of Noelvey Marte as well. All right. Let's take a quick break, and we'll talk about some of the peripheral pieces in this signing. We'll do that right after this. Welcome back in fantasy baseball today. Once again, the Chicago Cubs have signed Alex Breggman to a five-year, $175 million deal. Let's talk about some of the fallout here, Chris. At first glance, this seems. kind of like a death sentence for Matt Shaw's fantasy value, just because he's on the bench as of now. But earlier today, we did get a report from Jeff Passon that the Cubs could now look to trade Nico Horner,

who's entering a contract year. Perhaps they don't want to pay him. And if they do wind up trading Nico Horner, Matt Shaw could kind of slot in at second base. So the way things stand right now, yes, Matt Shaw is on the outside looking in, but that could still change. So it's hard to kind of put a definitive stamp on this

until we find out what else is happening with the Cubs. Yeah, I think that would be kind of silly, but the Cubs are kind of silly. Like, they, I don't know, like this is, we talked about this, I think, on a recent podcast, but this is a team that has not ranked in the top 10 in payroll since 2010, 2020, I think. Well, they just spent some money, I guess, to their credit.

Well, they just spent some money, but now they're talking about trading Nico Horner to save some money. Like, it just, it doesn't, I don't know, the thought process here, strikes me as like some stuff that the Milwaukee brewers should be doing not the Chicago Cubs right like you should you have a core that is a contender you shouldn't be selling Nico Horner in order to save money just because you signed Alex Breggman they can afford to have both Matt Shaw as a as a utility man okay maybe he's a overqualified for that role but like not everything's going to go right you know Nico Horner had elbow surgery last year uh

Alex Breggman's older. Like there are things that can go wrong. Having Matt Shaw around as insurance and a guy who can play three, four times a week at first is, I think, the smarter move. But I'm not running the Cubs. So we'll see. Yeah, I'm not particularly excited about Matt Shaw to begin with. I think even when he was slated for a starting role, he was someone who should be drafted outside of the top 200 for me, maybe a $2 player at the end of your auction. if you wanted him, but not someone that I'm super excited about.

I thought the rookie season was deeply underwhelming for him in a lot of ways. So, you know, we'll see. I think Nico Horner is a really, really strong player. He's been a four-win player four years in a row now for the Cubs. I think they would lose a lot if they traded him. So I hope they don't, but I guess I understand the thought process if they're not going to operate like a top five payroll team like they should. There is still a chance they could throw Matt Shaw at D.H.

Here and there right now, Rosser Resource has Moises Biasteros as a strong side platoon at DH and he, by all accounts, looks like he's going to be a really good hitter. I don't know much outside of that. Like the defense at catcher doesn't look very good, but Biostero so far in a small sample, he makes a lot of contact, he hits a lot of line drives, should hit for batting average. Yeah, lots of like there. There are some moving pieces here. They could do like a Byesteros-Match Shaw platoon at DH and just kind of move guys.

around. But as of right now, signing Alex Bregman, Niko Horner still on the roster, it looks like Matt Shaw is on the outside looking in for a regular starting job. He could still kind of move around and get two, three, four games in per week. But I think we have to operate as if, you know, Matt Shaw is not going to play very much and until they trade someone like Niko Horner, if they even do that. We don't know that that's a guarantee. What's next for the Red Sox? Well, we spoke a little bit about this, obviously losing Alex Breggman. Everything I heard this offseason is that they really wanted him back. I mean, I guess not for $175 million.

And they could just go with Marcel O'Meier at third base. Right now, it looks like Romney Gonzalez at second base. Again, I feel like Romney Gonzalez is more kind of a short side platoon guy. I think that they could wind up being in on someone like Boba Chet, maybe in E. E. E. E. E. E. E. Horez, who I mentioned earlier, they were in talks with the debacks for Catelle Marte, but we learned on Friday that the debacks are now taking Marte off the trade market. So I don't think that's going to happen. Chris, what do you think happens next for the Boston Red Sox? I don't think they're done. Whether that is going back

into free agency and signing Boba Chet, well, the way they've operated the past couple of years, maybe if they could get them on a pillow contract, they might do it. But I have a hard time seeing the Red Sox in this state giving Boba Shet, you know, eight years. $250 million or whatever he's looking for. It just doesn't seem like something ownership wants to do. I think a trade, like this could still end up being Nolan Aronado's landing spot. True. Yeah. And that's, you know, maybe the last gasp Nolan Aronado has of being a fantasy relevant player.

So that's one to keep an eye on. He would fit well in Fenway. But my guess is that this is not the final look of the Red Sox roster. whether it's a trade or a free agent signing, I doubt we're going to see Marcel O'Meer and Romy Gonzalez both in the lineup. Like, I don't know, they're in such a weird spot because they already don't have enough playing time for everyone. Like, I know Masataki Yoshita has become kind of a punchline, but like, that's a guy who would upgrade, I don't know, 10 teams, D.H spots around the league. Like, you're telling me the Pirates or Marlins wouldn't benefit from having Masataka.

Yoshida on their team. He's not currently scheduled for playing time. Tristan Kossas currently not scheduled for playing time in Boston. They've got a lot of pieces that don't quite all fit together. A lot of left-handed outfielders who don't quite all fit together. So Boston's lineup feels very incomplete right now, even though there's a lot of town, a lot of guys we like. I would guess there's still a big move coming, but just zooming out for a second. signing Alex Bregman, losing a draft pick to sign Alex Bregman last year, because he was a qualifying offer guy, alienating Raphael Devers by doing that, trading Raphael Devers.

Yeah. Like the whole point of trading Devers is that you have money in the offseason to bring Brickman back. The main piece they got back for Raphael Devers was James Tibbs, who they traded for Dustin May, who made five starts for them before getting shut down. and then Alex Bregman leaves. Like, I don't know, this team might still be good, and there's certainly a lot of talent here, but there are some question marks

in the decision making in Boston, to be sure. And that just feels like one where maybe this is the wrong way to look at it, but after all of that, I just don't see how you let yourself get outbid for Alex Bregman if you're the Red Sox. Yeah. Look, to be fair, again, I think five years, 175 million is a pretty big price tag for Breggman.

Yeah, for sure. It's a little bit easier on, you know, a five-year deal versus, you know, a six, seven, eight that some of these other players might get. Maybe a Boba Shed, Bellinger, guys like that. But it is a hefty price tag for Breggman. I totally get that. Yeah, the roster is still just kind of weird here for the Red Sox. Roster resource has Jaron as their DH. They still have all these outfielders on this team.

They recently said they don't want Saddam-Rof-Ale playing second. base, and I agree with that decision. I mean, he's a gold glove center fielder. Really good center field. You want him in center field, so that totally makes sense. Yeah, I don't think the Red Sox are done. Trading one of their outfielders for kind of a young infielder, feels like it would make sense. Like Cotel Marte for Williereau or something like that,

that kind of felt like it would have made some sense or pitching, but I think we're past that. So we'll see what happens with the Red Sox. I agree with you. I don't think that they are done. But the big news of the day, again, Breggman to the Cubs on a five-year $175 million deal. We both agree. We think it's a slight net negative here for Breggman's

fantasy value. We're going to wrap there for Chris. I am Frank. Thanks as always for tuning in to fantasy baseball today. Please make sure to follow and leave a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. And we will be back again tomorrow. Bye-bye.