Alex Bregman could stay in the AL East, but not with the Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox can't afford to lose Alex Bregman right now, much less to a divisional rival.

However, that's a realistic possibility.

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Toronto Blue Jays are keeping tabs on the former Houston Astros star.

And while the Blue Jays' interest in Bregman isn't new, it seems like they're more keen on getting him than initial reports suggested.

The Toronto Blue Jays want Alex Bregman

While Bregman was reported to be just a backup plan for the Blue Jays if they lost Bo Bichette, it now seems like they want to have both of them.

"Bregman might be more than that," Rosenthal wrote. "Team officials have been in recent contact with Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, according to sources briefed on the conversations. Ideally, the Jays want to add a left-handed hitter, but either the right-handed Bregman or Bichette would fit their defensive alignment better than Tucker or Cody Bellinger, both of whom bat left."

Bregman would be an upgrade for the World Series runner-ups. He'd be their everyday starting third baseman, with Ernie Clement moving to second base. 

The former World Series winner is also reportedly drawing interest from the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs.

So, even though the market for his services may not have been as big as he anticipated when he opted out of his contract with the Red Sox, it seems like it'll be a while before this bidding war is settled.