Inside The Pinstripes

Why Yankees Might Not Be Favorites to Sign Alex Bregman

This one thing could keep the New York Yankees from being all-in on Alex Bregman this offseason.

Grant Young

Sep 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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A December 13 article from USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale asserted that the New York Yankees have their sights set on former Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency.

"The New York Yankees now are expected to put on a full-court press to sign Bregman and move Jazz Chisholm to second base, in what would be their latest big move since losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency," Nightengale wrote.

While Bregman has clearly been a top target for the Yankees, the fact that the Yankees are rumored to be looking for more bargain options at first base means they might be planning to swing big on Bregman, who Spotrac projects will sign a six-year, $165 million contract this offseason.

However, there's one thing that could be keeping the Yankees from going all-in on Bregman, which Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter alluded to in a December 20 article.

"The Yankees countered losing Juan Soto by signing Max Fried and trading for Cody Bellinger, but there are still holes to fill at first base and either second base or third base, depending on where Jazz Chisholm Jr. is playing," Reuter wrote.

"The bad blood between the Astros and Yankees from the sign-stealing scandal always made the Yankees a long shot for Bregman, and despite their recent reported interest, that remains the case."

Yankees fans might still not be over Bregman's role in the Astros' 2017 sign-stealing scandal, which could have cost the Yankees a trip to the World Series.

However, bad blood aside, one would imagine these devoted fans would be willing to forgive Bregman if he dons the pinstripes and starts producing.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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