Astros stay in play for Alex Bregman

HOUSTON – The Houston Astros are nonetheless pursuing Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman, based on Astros General Manager Dana Brown this afternoon.

“Alex Bregman’s standing continues to be the best way it’s. Nothing has modified for the reason that final time we talked with you guys. We’ve been busy with a variety of various things, as I notice he’s been busy looking for a touchdown spot,” Brown mentioned.

Houston continues to be in play to carry again their star third baseman, two league sources inform KPRC 2. They are nonetheless battling a minimum of three giant payroll golf equipment and a Detroit Tigers staff that beat Houston within the 2024 Wild Card Round. The Astros, New York Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox are mentioned to indicate continued curiosity in Bregman, league sources say. Those 4 groups have been characterised by one supply as “the sturdy 4,” with the Detroit Tigers nonetheless , based on one other supply.

The Astros have a 6-year, $156 million provide on the desk, and it’s unclear if the Astros have made a second provide, with Brown saying Friday that nothing’s modified since he spoke with media Tuesday, however based on a number of sources, the Astros are very a lot “nonetheless in it” with Bregman.

Bregman’s market has began to take form over the previous a number of days with a minimum of 5 groups displaying curiosity by Monday, together with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Tigers referred to as on Bregman by then, as effectively. Tuesday was a slower day, with no severe motion on Bregman, based on sources near the free company talks. However, Tuesday, Brown characterised it as a day of “progress,” for the staff.

By Wednesday, the market was beginning to warmth up for Bregman, a league supply mentioned. With Juan Soto off the board after his $765 million mega-deal to the Mets, the place participant market began to show its consideration to Bregman, with related groups who have been keen to spend on Soto trying so as to add the third baseman.

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The Yankees, who had been engaged in commerce talks for Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker as effectively, based on league sources, have a necessity at third base, and Alex Bregman represents an on-field match, in addition to a possible clubhouse voice for a staff who simply misplaced out on Juan Soto.

The Red Sox are inquisitive about Bregman partly for his positional versatility. Boston has third baseman Rafael Devers entrenched within the scorching nook, and Devers isn’t transferring off third base, his agent Nelson Montes de Oca of Klutch Baseball, informed me this week at Winter Meetings. Bregman may play second base for the Red Sox.

The Mets even have a necessity on the nook place. Longtime first baseman Pete Alonso is a free agent, and third baseman Mark Vientos completed within the sixth percentile in Statcast’s Outs Above Average (OAA), with -7 outs. Bregman gained the American League Gold Glove in 2024, and had the second-best OAA of his profession, rating within the 91st percentile with +6 outs. Vientos would transfer to first base to make room for the superior defender in Bregman. In phrases of affording a possible $200 million deal for Bregman after the Juan Soto signing, these throughout the business characterize the Mets as extra inquisitive about getting what they need than attempting to stick to any type of funds.

The Tigers have supervisor A.J. Hinch, who managed Bregman to his first championship in 2017. The Tigers are a staff on the rise, that includes American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Bregman would lock down a key place and be a veteran voice on a staff that had almost no postseason expertise throughout the roster earlier than this season’s run.

A deal for Bregman isn’t anticipated to pull deep into the offseason, because the star third baseman is among the high priorities for a number of groups, together with the Astros, who’ve publicly referred to as their longtime third baseman precedence primary.