Houston Astros Boss Talks Bregman, Tucker Extensions

The Houston Astros intend to make an offer to both of their stars, but it's not clear when that offer, or those discussions, will happen.

Mar 23, 2024; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) hits his / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown said before Opening Day on Thursday that the team has not made an extension offer to either third baseman Alex Bregman or outfielder Kyle Tucker.

In fact, Brown confirmed that he hasn’t had discussions with Bregman or his representatives. But he did say that the Astros intend to make both of them an extension offer but didn’t say when.

“At some point we will have some discussions with Bregman and make him an offer,” Brown said to reporters on Thursday, including MLB.com.

Bregman is probably the more pressing of the two as he can hit free agency after this season.

Bregman had another quality season with the Astros in 2023, slashing 262/.363/.441/.804 with 28 doubles, four triples, 25 home runs and 98 RBI. He’s a career .274 hitter with 165 home runs and 588 RBI.

He’s also been a key part of both of the Astros’ World Series title teams.

Bregman is entering his age 30 season and is represented by one of the game’s top agents in Scott Boras.

But his top clients did not enjoy the offseason they were hoping for, as none of his biggest clients — Cody Bellinger, Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery and Matt Chapman — scored the mammoth, long-term deals that players like the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge did two seasons ago.

The Astros have prioritized extensions recently, as they have gotten deals done with Cristian Javier and Jose Altuve. The Astros also signed closer Josh Hader to a five-year, $95 million deal.

So it stands to reason that the Astros have to be thinking about their future expenses when it comes to extensions. Bregman could get caught in a crunch, depending on what the Astros are offering and what he wants.

As for Tucker, he has two years left before he can test free agency. Brown said the discussions with Tucker’s representatives haven’t been “deep.”

Tucker finished fifth in AL Most Valuable Player voting last year and agreed to a $12 million deal to avoid arbitration this season. Tucker won his first Silver Slugger in 2023 after he slashed .284/.369/.517/.886 with 29 home runs, 112 RBI and 30 stolen bases. His 112 RBI was an American League-high.