For months, it has been considered exceedingly likely, in baseball circles, that Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman would opt out of his contract and test free agency again this winter. Now, it appears that much-anticipated development is on the verge of being formalized.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman removed any and all doubt Tuesday by citing sources and reporting that Bregman “will be opting out of his current Red Sox deal” before the deadline to do so, five days after the conclusion of the World Series. The decision seemed like a fait accompli for much of the season, though Bregman’s average second half made it at least slightly possible he could exercise his player option. After earning $40 million (including deferrals, which brought the present-day value to $31.7 million) in 2

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