Houston Astros Franchise Legend Predicted to Re-Sign with Team in Offseason

The Houston Astros would be paying one of their franchise greats a ton of money if this prediction comes true.

Jul 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) throws to first base for an out against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at Minute Maid Park. / Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

When the Houston Astros were struggling to start the season, there were some rumblings that the front office moving to move Alex Bregman was a possibility.

Bregman, one of the best players in franchise history, hits free agency at the end of the year.

He hasn't been the same player this season that he's been in previous campaigns, but history would suggest he's likely going to figure it out. Contract years often bring the best out of guys, but there are also many scenarios where they play much worse than they typically do.

He's currently slashing .251/.311/.411 with 14 home runs and 20 doubles. His 104 OPS+ would be the lowest of his career if he keeps it up, but it also shows the type of player he is.

Even when he's struggling, the star hitter is still an above-average professional, at the very least.

The issue for the Astros, however, is that he doesn't want to be paid like an average professional. Bregman is expecting a massive contract in a few months during the offseason, which poses some questions about what the front office will do.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report believes he's going to return to Houston and get paid handsomely. He predicted that Bregman will sign a seven-year contract for $210 million, keeping him with the Astros until he's 37-years-old.

"As long as Bregman remains on this track, he's going to enter the market as a legitimate candidate for a $200 million deal. That would limit his market, but some notable teams could be in the mix for a big-ticket third baseman ... Bregman's swing fits better at Minute Maid Park than it does anywhere else. And as noted earlier, the Astros are slated for a windfall of flexibility this winter."

There have been multiple scenarios throughout the past few winters where Houston has allowed some of their top players to leave, but they might not do that this time around.

Bregman has been too important for this ball club for much of the past decade, and if they plan on competing, which all signs point to them doing, keeping him around seems to be the logical thing to do. 

They have other players they need to pay in the following offseason, but if they can get a favorable deal done that makes sense for both sides, it should get worked out.