Yankees and Dodgers Predicted to Avoid Astros Free Agent Due to 2017 Scandal

The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers might hold the Houston Astros cheating scandal against the pending free agent.

Aug 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yainer Diaz (21) reacts with third baseman Alex Bregman (2) after Bregman hit a home run during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, the 2017 sign-stealing situation has made many fans around Major League Baseball resent the Houston Astros.

While what they did was wrong, and some players have owned up to it, they've proven throughout the past few years that they're still one of the best teams in the league.

It'll be interesting to see how much weight it holds on players' Hall of Fame cases when the time comes. Jose Altuve should be a Hall of Famer, but if the Hall of Fame voters hold that against him, he might not be in Cooperstown.

For others, it could also play a big part in their free agency. George Springer and Carlos Correa didn't have much of an issue, but they also didn't sign with the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers, the two teams who believe they were hurt the most by the sign-stealing saga.

Alex Bregman will be the next Astros player to test that theory. Despite the slow start to the 2024 campaign, one could make a strong argument that he's the best third baseman on the market this offseason. 

However, depending on the contract he's looking for, only a handful of teams in the league might be willing to pay him. 

Of those teams are the Yankees and Dodgers. 

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicted players who'll play for a different team in 2025, predicting that Bregman will be one of the 10 players. He added that it's possible that New York and Los Angeles won't pursue him because of 2017.

"There seemed to be a feeling prior to the 2024 season that this would probably be it for Alex Bregman in Houston, with the Boras client likely to test free agency and go to the highest bidder... Secondly, his connection to the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal might cause some teams that would otherwise make sense as suitors—such as the Dodgers and Yankees—not to pursue him in free agency."

While history is history, from the Yankees and Dodgers' perspective, Houston's third baseman would be an excellent addition to their team. 

Obviously, some things said from New York and Los Angeles might not sit well with somebody like Bregman. At the end of the day, if the Yankees and Dodgers want to win a World Series, they need talent to do so. He'd help that.

Bregman, however, could always stay with the Astros, as he's been a staple in their lineup for much of the past decade.

A tough decisions awaits in the next few months.