Former Houston Astros World Series Star Sounds Off on Alex Bregman’s Contract

A former Houston Astros outfielder was surprised by a couple of aspect of the deal that Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox.

Matthew Postins | Feb 19, 2025

Feb 18, 2025; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox third base Alex Bregman (2) participates in media day at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Houston Astros

Alex Bregman’s deal with the Boston Red Sox was a bit of a stunner. The former Houston Astros third baseman only signed a three-year deal.

The contract was for $120 million and features opt-outs after both the 2025 and 2026 seasons. It gives the deal an average annual value of $40 million, even though the deferrals — $20 million in each season — drive down the present-day value.

It’s still a big contract. It’s just not the contract that former Houston Astros outfielder Josh Reddick thought Bregman would sign.

While on the Crush City Podcast, Reddick said he understood why, ultimately, Bregman went the direction that he did.

“I thought three years was a big surprise considering he came out very publicly about being a six-year minimum guy and then you know it turns out that he signs that three-year deal,” Reddick said. “But when you're getting the most AAV for yourself it's kind of hard to turn down when you're looking at that $40 million mark. I mean what there's what — four, five, six guys total — that are making this amount of money. So, you can't really blame the guy.”

The Astros offered Bregman a six-year deal at the start of free agency worth $156 million.

The Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs were also in on Bregman, and the Tigers also offered a long-term deal. The Detroit Free Press reported that Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, countered the Tigers with a $200 million deal that Detroit chose not to accept.

Reddick said the opt-outs were something that gives him hesitation, only because it says the player may not be committed to staying beyond one season. But, he also said that’s a bigger part of contract negotiations these days.

His big takeaway was the value of the deal relative to Bregman the player.

“I thought it was a lot,” Reddick said. “I mean considering what the league was going to portray and what he was going to get, it was it seemed like a lot. When you look at stats in the last season or two it kind of felt like a lot. But you know, at the end of the day you're happy for the player because you always want the player to get money and get as much as you can. You tip your cap to the guy for holding out and realizing what he could get done.”

Bregman has a lifetime slash line of .272/.366/.483/.848 with 191 home runs and 663 RBI. He recorded a career-high 8.9 wins above replacement in 2019 and hasn’t approached it since, though his WAR has been 4.0 or better each of the last three seasons.

Reddick played for the Astros from 2017-20 and was a part of their 2017 World Series championship team. In four seasons with Houston, he slashed .275/.331/.425/.757 with 48 home runs and 208 RBI.

The outfielder played 13 MLB seasons and slashed .262/.321/.426/.747 with 146 home runs and 575 RBI. He won a Gold Glove with the Athletics in 2012.

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