Having a playoff run to worry about trumps all in the Houston Astros organization. But one can’t help but look ahead to their impending high-stakes free agency.
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has only known one organization as a professional baseball player. His first full season was 2017, the Astros’ first World Series win. And he’s collected another ring and two All-Star appearances in the time since then.
This winter, though, things could change. Bregman is set to hit free agency, and expects to command a steep price as the premier third baseman on the market. It creates a conundrum for the Astros, who have made several major financial commitments to other players.
General manager Dana Brown will ultimately have a huge say in whether Bregman returns to the Astros in 2025. On Wednesday, he seemed to indicate that right now, the Astros are as uncertain as anybody else about where their third baseman will wind up.
Speaking to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Brown hinted that the Astros still expect to pursue Bregman, but that no offers were currently on the table.
“We were in Anaheim the other day and I ran into [agent Scott Boras] and we started talking a little bit, and we both said, ‘Look, once we get towards the end of the season and things are over, we’ll definitely engage and talk about it,'” Brown said. “We had a small conversation about it. Right now, we’re not in any discussions about contract offers. We both agreed we will meet back up.”
This season hasn’t been Bregman’s best, but he’s caught fire in the second half. He owns a .254/.312/.437 slash line on the season, good for a 112 OPS+. He has been worth 3.7 wins above replacement, per Baseball Reference.
Like it or not, the decision on what to do with Bregman also extends to another pair of Astros superstars. Right fielder Kyle Tucker and starting pitcher Framber Valdez have one year left on their current deals, and both will be up for similarly lucrative extensions next offseason.
Houston’s payroll is already the highest it’s ever been, and it’s only about to get higher. The questions Brown will have to answer: How much higher can it go, and which players will be prioritized in the process?AA
