Houston Astros Star Can Earn Himself Even More Money With Strong October Showing

A Houston Astros star can improve his stock heading into free agency even more with a strong showing in October.

Sep 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) walks on the field before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

With just a few days until the 2024 MLB postseason gets underway, the Houston Astros are peaking at the right time.

They have been the best team in baseball since May 12th, overcoming a double-digit deficit in the American League West to eventually be crowned champions for the fourth season in a row and seventh time out of the last eight.

In each of those previous years, the Astros were able to advance to the ALCS, as their streak is at seven. Can they make it eight this October?

One of the players whom they will be relying on to help them achieve that goal is third baseman Alex Bregman.

After a difficult start to 2024, Bregman found his stroke right around when the team began turning things around. As shared by Jorge Castillo of ESPN, the team goes as their All-Star does.

“The 2024 Astros have gone as Alex Bregman has gone. The third baseman was slashing .201/.270/.264 with one home run in 37 games through May 12, and the Astros were off to a dreadful 15-25 start. Since then, Bregman is batting .276 with 24 home runs, an .835 OPS and a 135 wRC+ that ranks 25th in baseball, while the Astros have posted the best record in the majors,” wrote Castillo.

While some of his numbers have dropped compared to 2023, he was still very productive. The best ability is availability and for the third straight campaign, he was able to avoid an injured list stint.

He also reached the 25-home run mark for the second straight year, setting himself up for a nice payday in free agency.

There have been plenty of rumors about where Bregman could end up. Before things got better, he was mentioned in some trade rumors as a candidate to move ahead of the deadline.

With Matt Chapman agreeing to a multi-year extension with the San Francisco Giants and off the market, he is the clear top option at the hot corner in free agency. That is partly why Castillo believes that Bregman has a golden chance to increase his value in the playoffs.

“Matt Chapman seemingly set the floor for Bregman's next contract by signing a six-year, $151 million extension with the Giants. Both are Scott Boras clients. Chapman is the superior defender. But Bregman is the better hitter and, at 30, is a year younger. Another memorable October could drive his price up,” the MLB expert wrote.

With a postseason career slash line of .235/.345/.445, Bregman would do himself a huge favor by performing closer to his regular season production and erasing any doubts prospective teams could have about him.