Houston Astros Predicted to Bring Back Franchise Icon in MLB Free Agency

This prediction will make Houston Astros fans smile.

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros are officially turning the page to the offseason on the heels of their earliest playoff exit in the better part of a decade and bringing to an end their incredible streak of seven consecutive ALCS appearances.

As Houston gets ready for free agency, team brass will find itself at a crossroads when it comes to where to allocate resources and whether they should turn the page from the previous era of dominance or try to run it back and chase one last title. Nobody exemplifies that question more than team legend and icon Alex Bregman.

The Astros third baseman is scheduled to officially hit free agency with his 2019 five-year, $100 million deal that became a serious bargain as it went on is set to expire this winter. Bregman is anticipated to command at least a substantial raise from that number on the open market, and while he likely prefers to stay with Houston, ownership will have to open up the checkbook if they are serious about keeping him. With predictions seeing Bregman land with numerous different teams ahead of his decision, Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report has logged a prognostication that the legend ends up returning to Houston.

"A veteran player with championship experience, 19 career postseason home runs, and two World Series titles, he knows what it takes to transform a team from a contender to the best in the game," Beaston wrote. "That is likely why the Astros, with a World Series window that is closing ever so slightly with each passing year, likely want to hold onto him...If Houston can muster the money, it feels rather unlikely that Bregman will leave the only organization he has ever known."

The mustering of they money is of course the huge question for the team as one of their most important players gets set to hit the open market.

As of this week, Bregman is predicted by Spotrac to have a market value of roughly $120 million over four years, an anticipated $10 annual increase from his previous deal. It's a lot to ask for a player whose numbers have began to decline, but if Houston decides they do not want to pay up, plenty of teams will be lined up to do exactly that.

If the Astros want to prevent that from happening, ownership must prepare to pony up the cash for the superstar.