Latest Alex Bregman update suggests Astros might’ve played his free agency perfectly

This offseason has been a tough one for Astros fans. Houston saw one of the most talented players in Astros history (Kyle Tucker) get traded to the Cubs, along with the expected departure of a franchise icon (Alex Bregman).

We heard all offseason how talks have stalled in Houston’s efforts to extend Bregman, and the team would likely be moving on from the former second overall pick. The Kyle Tucker trade that returned Isaac Paredes to fill the hole at the hot corner, paired with the signing of Christian Walker seemed to signal the end of Bregman’s time in Houston.

The Tigers, Red Sox and Mets have all been linked to the former Astros third baseman, but with Bregman seeking a $200+ million deal, it seemed like there was still a sizable gap in what teams wanted to pay him and what he wanted to get paid.

Astros Rumors: Houston-Alex Bregman re-engage in contract discussions

This all leads to a new report from Chandler Rome of The Athletic who stated that Bregman and the Astros have re-engaged in contract discussions. He goes on to state that it’s unclear if Houston will budge from their initial reported offer of $156 million, but if Bregman was looking for $200 million and he is reigniting the talks with Houston, his market may be more limited that initially thought.

Resigning Bregman would pose an interesting situation as the team already has Paredes expected to be the everyday third baseman (though a Bregman signing would change that), Pena at shortstop, Altuve at second base and Christian Walker (a Gold Glover) at first base. They still have a massive need for an outfield bat, but perhaps Altuve will shift to left field after over 1800 games and a Gold Glove at second base (yeah…that’s not happening).

The more likely scenario is the trade of Ryan Pressly (if he ever waives his no-trade clause) to clear up some money. Owner, Jim Crane, has adamantly stated that he doesn’t want to cross the luxury tax for the second consecutive season. The luxury tax is currently at $241 million, and Houston sits around $219 million. If the team moved Pressly it would give them around $36 million to stay under that luxury tax. Dana Brown should be able to add Bregman and an outfielder, while staying under the luxury tax threshold, however, it may leave the team thin at other positions like bullpen.

No matter how it needs to happen, Crane and Brown need to make Bregman an Astro for life. If recent reports come to fruition, Houston may have played the Bregman free agency perfectly.