Did Alex Bregman tweet hint at FA destination (after Yankees' mixed interest)?

Forget the aging curve; the New York Yankees could really use lifelong Derek Jeter fan Alex Bregman's services in 2024, and they can also afford to pay for his eventual downfall. Still, it seems unlikely that the two sides will ultimately match up on value. Add in the draft picks attached to Bregman because he rejected the qualifying offer -- which ultimately torpedoed a Christian Walker deal -- and the Yankees and the ex-Astro make an unlikely pair.

The link appears to be dead enough that, on the pre-Christmas YES Hot Stove show, Jack Curry refuted any Bregman conversations in the same breath he used to toss ice water on the possibility of Nolan Arenado.

According to Jon Heyman on Thursday, the latest on the Yankees and Bregman doesn't completely jive with Curry's assertion that the two sides aren't considering one another.

"Yankees people love Alex Bregman but question whether Yankee Stadium is right for him. Possible they hope DJ LeMahieu regains health to fill 3B," Heyman wrote on Thursday, explaining a likely disconnect, and tossing a little LeMahieu hopium nightmare fuel in for good measure.

So, where will Bregman land, if not the team that "loves" him? The latest intel hints the Tigers and AJ Hinch are still very much alive, while Red Sox fans are dreaming of Bregman occupying second base while Rafael Devers remains at third, blocking top prospect Kristian Campbell in the process (and causing some long-term shuffling).

The Mets are also lingering, though, and Bregman reappeared on social media on Thursday to note that he believes 2025 is going to be "amazing". Now, is that ... "amazing" or Amazin'?

Yankees Rumors: Free agent target Alex Bregman might've hinted at Mets landing spot, with Tigers and Red Sox lurking

Bregman began to regress in a few key facets last season, but if he is on the downward slope of the curve, he's not terribly far down the roller coaster's drop yet. There's still plenty of value in his bat, not to mention his defensive versatility and Gold Glove pedigree.

Still, he's a career .277 hitter with an .862 OPS against lefties, but hit just .224 with a .712 OPS last season. He maintained his vaunted ability to discern the strike zone last year, but his hard-hit metrics dipped towards the 50th percentile (average exit velocity, hard-hit percentage) and below (34th percentile barrel percentage).

Bregman will require a six- or seven-year investment, and it's easy to see that money not going quite as far by Year 4. Still, there are several teams out there that can comfortably afford his regression in exchange for his October mettle, keen eye, and exceptional glove. The Yankees are one of them, but they seem to believe his poor ballpark fit isn't worth a pair of draft selections (and they might be right). The Mets, most certainly, are another of those clubs that could seamlessly absorb a few down years down the line.