MLB Insider Utterly Destroys Houston Astros Star’s Free Agency Hopes

Alex Bregman can be an unrestricted free agent and the Houston Astros are only one of teams that could sign him.

Aug 12, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates with catcher Yainer Diaz (21) after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at Tropicana Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

One of the looming questions for the Houston Astros this offseason is what they’ll do with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman.

He is due to be an unrestricted free agent after the season. The Astros didn’t move him at the trade deadline. So their options are to re-sign him to a long-term deal that will likely make him one of the highest-paid third basemen in the game or lose him to the open market.

And he is most likely to test the open market unless the Astros drastically overpay. Why? Bregman’s agent is Scott Boras, one of the toughest negotiators in baseball and smarting from last offseason when most of his clients weren’t able to sign long-term deals.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, during his bi-weekly podcast Fair Territory, was asked about Bregman’s free agency prospects.

He said the Astros will be one of at least three teams that will be interested in him. The other two are out west — Houston’s AL West rival Seattle Mariners and the defending NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks.

But what kind of deal might Bregman get? Rosenthal isn’t sure the season he’s having will lead to that optimal contract.

“He's not having a horrible year,” Rosenthal said. “He's still an above average offensive player and, of course, a consistent player overall, for the most part. But this is not what he would envision for his platform season.”

By his own standard, Bregman is set to meet his 162-game averages by season’s end. He’s slashing .260/.318/.439/.757 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI in 114 games. His 162-game averages are .273/.367/.482/.849 with 27 home runs and 97 RBI.

Rosenthal was correct in that Bregman started the season horribly.

But his bat has picked up gradually the past couple of months and it culminated in earning co-American League Player of the Week honors for last week’s action, alongside his Astros teammate, Yordan Alvarez.

For the week Bregman batted .444 (12-for-27), with three home runs, six RBI and a 1.389 OPS.

Rosenthal says that, even with the slow start, Bregman could be the top third baseman on the free agent market. His main competition will be San Francisco’s Matt Chapman, who has an opt-out clause after this season and seems poised to trigger it.

Chapman will be great competition with Bregman on the market and Rosenthal isn’t sure that Bregman has done enough to help himself.

“I do believe that Alex Bregman, coming into this season, stood a much better chance of becoming like an elite free agent than he does now,” Rosenthal said. “He's still going to be right up there. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ripping Alex Bregman. It just hasn't been the season that maybe some expected will this matter in free agency remains to be seen.”