Alex Bregman has a chance of returning to the Astros as a free agent

HOUSTON – The Astros haven’t ruled out a reunion with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman ahead of the Winter Meetings, but their ability to re-sign him depends on what other offers he received on the market.

The Astros have offered Bregman a six-year contract worth about $156 million, a source told MLB.com this week. In dollar terms, that would be a club-record contract for the team, but Bregman is believed to be seeking a deal closer to $200 million, which would likely make the Astros more expensive and force them to move their cornerback third Baseman to give up.

Astros owner Jim Crane reiterated his stance last month that he prefers not to give free agents lengthy contract extensions worth hundreds of millions of dollars – a strategy that has paid off considering the club’s continued success despite the loss of Outfielder George Springer, pitcher Gerrit Cole and others continue to win. Shortstop Carlos Correa has been active in free agency in recent years, among other things.

Under Crane, the Astros have never offered more than five years to a free agent, and the largest deal he has made to a player is the $151 million second baseman Jose Altuve received with his extension in 2018. Still, the Astros operated with a top-five payroll last season and exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax for the first time.

“You have to be aware of that because the longer the contracts are on the back burner, the harder it becomes to maintain them and you lose competitiveness if you have a lot of money tied up,” Crane said in November. 18. “As you know, we need to take some money off the payroll next year. We run it like a business and make good decisions.”

Bregman was a key player during the Astros’ winning streak over the last decade, culminating in the 2017 and 2022 World Series titles. Last season, he hit .260/.315/.453 with 26 home runs and 75 RBIs and won a Gold Glove Award at third base and has also emerged as one of the team’s greatest leaders. He is a pillar in the clubhouse.

“It’s no secret what he means to this team and this organization,” Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday. “Breggy is a winner; he is a leader. He has all the qualities you would expect from a baseball player. This is the part of the deal that I don’t have much control over, just to show my support and the fact that he knows we love him and I love him.

“He has the right to do what he believes is best for him and his family, and that is important too. He knows we support him, we love him here in Houston. He helped us win some championships and a lot of baseball games. He is also someone who has done a lot for this community and that means a lot to me and this organization. Hopefully we can do it.”

The club is already considering replacement options if Bregman signs elsewhere. Among the players at the top of the third baseman list is Jorge Polanco, who is looking to have a rebound season. A switch-hitter coming off knee surgery, Polanco posted a career-low .651 OPS in 118 games with the Mariners last season, but posted a .724 OPS, hitting 11 of his 16 in 63 games from July 9 through 2016 Home runs at the end of the season.

If the Astros don’t re-sign Bregman or spend big at third base, they will look more aggressively for upgrades at first base, where Houston posted the fifth-lowest OPS (.651) in the major leagues last season.

Jon Singleton received the majority of reps after the club released Jose Abreu, but Singleton’s inability to hit left-handed pitching (.457 OPS in 82 PA this season) makes him more of a platoon hitter who can play against righties .

The team has discussed free agent first baseman Christian Walker, a three-time Gold Glove winner. In 2024, he missed 32 games due to an oblique injury, but hit 26 home runs in 130 games, recording his third straight season with an OPS above .800.

The Astros would prefer Bregman make a decision before making their next move, but they also can’t afford to wait too long.