Insider Lists Houston Astros Star As Potential New York Yankees Free Agency Target

The Houston Astros could receive competition retaining a key free agent from the New York Yankees this offseason.

Sep 11, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) runs to first base on a single during the third inning against the Oakland Athletics at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros are focused entirely on finishing out the 2024 regular season on a high note heading into the postseason.

While October baseball didn’t seem likely early in the season, the Astros were able to right the ship in June. From July through early September, the only team in the American League that rivaled their success was the Detroit Tigers.

Houston will be looking to extend their streak of seven straight ALCS appearances to eight this year. But, could this be the last hurrah for their current core?

Trade rumors dissipated once the team’s performance turned around, but this offseason will present new challenges for the club. Arguably the biggest is the pending free agency of third baseman Alex Bregman.

Third baseman Matt Chapman agreed to an extension in-season with the San Francisco Giants, making the Astros star by far the biggest fish on the free agent market. Any team needing infield help will check in with him.

Bregman looks like he will become a very rich man this winter as a bidding war could ensue. Several AL contenders will be interested in him not only to boost their own team but weaken a Houston squad that has been dominant for nearly a decade.

One of the teams to keep a close eye on is the New York Yankees. Their entire focus will be on retaining star outfielder Juan Soto, but if he opts to go elsewhere, Bregman will be on their radar according to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

“The New York Yankees might enter the mix if they strike out on Juan Soto and want to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second,” Rosenthal wrote in a piece talking about potential Boston Red Sox right-handed hitting targets in free agency.

That seems like a logical plan for the Yankees this offseason. Gleyber Torres is set to hit free agency and his future with the franchise has been up in the air for a while.

Moving Chisholm off third base, where he had never played before arriving in the Bronx, would make a lot of sense. Bregman is also a massive upgrade over Torres in more ways than one.

Expect the market for Bregman to be busy this winter. In addition to the AL East rivals, Rosenthal mentioned the Tigers, Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks as potential suitors.

After a slow start, the LSU product is producing at the level we have become accustomed to seeing. He has a .256/.313/.433 slash line with 23 home runs and 67 RBI in 134 games and 587 plate appearances.