Alex Bregman remains on the open market, and the Chicago Cubs reportedly had "casual" talks with the star free agent.

Players pivoting to short-term deals with opt-outs have become increasingly common. Last winter, agent Scott Boras had four free agents -- the “Boras Four” -- who settled for shorter-term contracts with opt-outs when the long-term deals they had hoped for never materialized.

The Cubs have suddenly entered the Alex Bregman free agency sweepstakes, but there is one clear condition in place.