Inside the Astros

Superstar Free Agent Slugger Reportedly Rules Out Houston Astros

After months of negotiations, this superstar slugger appears to be moving on from the Houston Astros.

Tyler Maher

Sep 13, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) hits a single against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Angel Stadium.
Sep 13, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) hits a single against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Angel Stadium. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
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After months of rumors about a potential Alex Bregman-Houston Astros reunion, he appears to be moving on from his former team for good.

Three finalists were revealed for the free agent third baseman on Tuesday, and the Astros surprisingly weren't one of them.

According to multiple reports, Bregman is between the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers -- all of whom have been pursuing him for months. After previously seeking a six or seven-year deal in the neighborhood of $200 million, he now seems to be looking for a shorter-term deal with an opt-out.

This is disappointing news for Houston, which was rejected by the two-time All-Star multiple times this offseason. He declined their initial six-year, $156 million offer at the start of the offseason, then rejected the Astros again after re-opening negotiations with them last month.

Local Houston television outlet KPRC 2 was among the outlets reporting the update.

Fortunately, Houston prepared for Bregman's departure by trading for All-Star infielder Isaac Paredes and signing slugging first baseman Christian Walker in December after Bregman rejected their first offer.

At this point, Bregman returning to the hot corner wouldn't have made much sense for the Astros, who already have a full infield. They would have needed to reconfigure their defense to accommodate him, potentially by moving longtime second baseman Jose Altuve to the outfield (even though he's never played there in the Major Leagues).

Based on the latest news, it seems that Bregman may not have been seriously interested in returning to Houston after all. His agent, Scott Boras, may have merely been using the Astros to help create a bidding war with other teams -- a common (and effective) strategy of his.

Regardless, the months-long saga finally appears over for Houston. The Astros won't have to worry about the Bregman drama hanging over them when they report to spring training and prepare to defend their AL West title.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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