Houston Astros fans may have to brace themselves for a future without beloved All-Star Alex Bregman at third base.
Reports from earlier this month indicated a huge gap between Bregman’s asking price and what the Astros were willing to offer.
With talks between Bregman and the Astros at a standstill, Houston began pursuing other moves in free agency. The team signed first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year deal.
The Astros were also linked to one All-Star third baseman before landing a different one in Isaac Paredes.
The Paredes signing on its own did not seem to shut the door on a Bregman return given that the former Chicago Cub could also slot in at first base. But with Walker in the fold, the Astros’ infield seems to have been filled up.
Astros general manager Dana Brown on Monday said as much after the team officially introduced Walker.
“The way I view it now is that Isaac Paredes is going to plate 3rd base and Christian Walker will play first base,” Brown told reporters, via The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
“I won’t get into specifics but I feel like the negotiations [with Alex Bregman] stalled. I feel like we made a really competitive offer and showed that we wanted him back. But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there.”
The Astros already parted ways with All-Star slugger Kyle Tucker earlier this month. Losing Bregman as well would truly signal the end of an era in Houston.
Bregman has spent the first nine years of his MLB journey with the Astros. The 30-year old has batted .272 with 191 home runs, 663 RBIs, and an OPS of .848 throughout his career.
The Houston Astros had a slow start in 2024 but rebounded well to win their division. However, they flamed out in the postseason, as they were swept at home by the Detroit Tigers. Here are the moves they need to make for 2025 after an already busy offseason.
What the Astros need to do now
5) Extend Jeremy Pena
The Astros have half of their infield on long-term contracts. Both Isaac Paredes, a recent acquisition, and Jeremy Pena are under arbitration. It remains to be seen what Paredes will do in Houston, but Pena is a known commodity.
He is a proven performer, a shortstop capable with the bat and in the field. Those are not the most common things in baseball, so the Astros should have his extension on the front burner.
4) Extend Framber Valdez
Framber Valdez is in his arbitration years, but he’s been a steady presence at the top of their rotation. They might regret waiting this long to extend their ace, but they need to do it now before it’s too late. His price is likely only going to rise, so they should get ahead of it.
With Justin Verlander gone, this is firmly Valdez’s team and he deserves to be locked down. The Astros front office has cleared up some money with trades and should be prioritizing that.
3) Sign Jeff Hoffman
The bullpen is the weakest spot on the Houston Astros. It’s far from a weak unit overall, but it lacks depth and familiar faces. Plus, every single team in baseball is always looking for good relievers no matter who they have in the building.
The Astros could use a strong reliever — someone like Jeff Hoffman. He won’t cost as much as other players due to his age, but a short-term contract for Hoffman to pair with Ryan Pressly in setup would be smart.
2) Sign Anthony Santander
The Houston Astros need another bat. They’ve added Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes, but they lost Kyle Tucker, and likely, Alex Bregman. Their outfield is particularly weak, and they’d probably prefer not to have Yordan Alvarez play left field every day.
Fortunately, one of the best corner outfielders in free agency is still available. Anthony Santander would be an excellent addition to replace Tucker’s left-handed bat and fill one of the corner outfield spots.
1) Sign Tanner Scott
The Astros have an abundance of starters, many of whom will go to the bullpen. However, aside from Josh Hader, there aren’t a ton of reliable, high-leverage players in the pen. Signing Tanner Scott would remedy that.
Scott, with 4.5 fWAR in two seasons, is the best reliever on the market. He and Hader would form a dynamic one-two punch to close out games, and they’d have one of the stronger bullpens in baseball. With only a few glaring holes on the roster, they can afford to prioritize a move like this.
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