The Boston Red Sox are now staring down a price tag that could make ownership wince. Alex Bregman, who opted out of the final two years and $80 million remaining on his Red Sox contract, agreed to a five-year, $175 million deal with the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night. That leaves Boston with a massive hole at third base and in the middle of the lineup. According to former Red Sox player and analyst Lou Merloni, if Boston wants to fill that void with another elite bat, they had better be ready to shell out up to $350 million.

Merloni laid out the harsh reality, mapping out exactly what kind of bidding war the Red Sox are about to face. He said, “Well, here comes the pivot. Now what? I’m not ready to think about that yet. Maybe not. Let’s sign Bo Bichette to a good deal he signs for. What do you think a good deal is? You think Bregman’s going to get $175? At 5, let me tell you, what do you think a good deal is? $240 at 8?

“Listen to this. Start at $280 at 8, go to $350 at 9, and be prepared to spend $350 at 10. That’s the way the game is. You no longer play it with the Diamondbacks, or the Cubs, or whoever you were playing with with Bregman. You’re playing with big boys. Philly, Toronto, Yankees, Dodgers, maybe. That’s who you’re playing with. 10 $350, 9 $350, that’s the area.”

Merloni’s assessment is not hyperbole. Bichette is reportedly seeking around $300 million in free agency. At just 28 years old on Opening Day, he has age on his side compared to most available bats. The Yankees, Phillies, and Dodgers have all checked in on him, and Philadelphia is scheduled to meet with Bichette in the coming days with legitimate interest.

A $300 million deal would immediately put Bichette among the highest-paid shortstops in baseball. The Red Sox are up against the sport’s biggest spenders, and Merloni is right that nine or ten years at $350 million is exactly where this could land.

The Red Sox essentially played themselves into this corner. First, they traded Rafael Devers midseason. Then, they failed to negotiate a strong offer for Alex Bregman. Now they have a gaping hole in their roster, and fans are not taking it very well.

Boston is now scrambling to replace a three-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion, and Gold Glove winner who was supposed to anchor the lineup for years. Bichette represents the only comparable talent left on the market.

But as MLB insider Jeff Passan noted, what Bichette believes he is worth “has not been matched by teams” yet. If the Red Sox want to avoid another season without a true impact bat, they are going to have to compete in the deep end of the free-agent pool. As a result, Merloni’s warning about $350 million may not be far off at all.

Breslow’s words ring hollow as fans lose patience

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is taking serious heat from fans and the media for how he has handled this entire offseason. The Red Sox allowed negotiations to drag deep into the offseason, giving the Cubs time to swoop in and sign Boston’s unquestioned leader from last season. But this is not just about Alex Bregman.

Breslow has been criticized all winter for applying a small-market approach to a big-market franchise.

When the Red Sox missed out on Pete Alonso’s five-year, $155 million deal with the Orioles in December, Breslow’s response was, “We’re going to head back to Boston and continue to work.” Fans absolutely tormented him for that comment.

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The frustration also stems from reports that Boston is unwilling to give long-term contracts to players over 30. ESPN’s Jeff Passan called this approach too rational for a market that sometimes requires teams to “get a little irrational.”

The problem is that Breslow keeps saying the right things but delivering marginal results.

Back in October, he promised that “we have work to do” and spoke about making the moves necessary to go from 89 wins to legitimate contention.

However, fans are not seeing that vision translate into action.

Now, with Bregman gone to Chicago and Bo Bichette reportedly seeking $300 million, Breslow is facing exactly the scenario Lou Merloni warned about. Fans are demanding “Bichette or mutiny” and are losing faith that Breslow has the aggressiveness needed to pull off a deal of that magnitude.