The Alex Bregman saga is far from the end! The latest report of offering 3B to Bregman created a ray of hope among the Astros fans, but the response by their GM is the same beating around the bushes. When asked about their plan for Bregman, Dana Brown failed to give clear answers, which left the fans doubtful if the Astros are desperate enough to land him. Honestly, Bregman and the Astros’ deal is not something ready to happen, and the Red Sox are a clear favorite here.

While the sudden update about Jose Altuve’s willingness to give up his position to accommodate Bregman reignited the fans’ hope, any concrete decision is yet to be made. So, with Bregman having multiple offers in hand, how could the Astros land him over others? Well, the bland response from the Astros’ GM indicated the team is not desperate for Bregman. They did try to retain him for $156 million, which would have been the highest contract by far, but got rejected. So now, there was no chance or planning behind the Astros again getting back into the sweepstakes, but it’s the lack of clarity behind Bregman’s new home that made them again seek any scope left.

The major reason behind the Astros’ not going full throttle is the price tag of Bregman. Reportedly, he is expecting around $200 million, which is well over the team’s budget. Initially, after Bregman rejected their offer, the Astros went ahead with building their squad, which was evident with their other signings – they got Christian Walker and Jose Altuve as basemen, albeit in different positions. But the addition of Alex Bregman can indeed help strengthen their slugger squad further.

So, keeping Bregman aside, the Astros are already on the way to field a contending team this year. Nevertheless, why not try to get an experienced slugger if still available as a free agent? “We have been having conversations with him since December,” said Dana Brown, reflecting on their constant contact with Bregman to find a midway. The Astros’ GM also reflected that fans need to take Bregman as an additional value and not something concrete for the team. Yes, the team is trying to get with Bregman and even shaking up their existing lineup, but the Astros are not in any hurry to sign him. 

Multi-window opportunities for Alex Bregman

Bregman is sitting on multiple offers, including the Red Sox and Tigers. The Red Sox is the frontrunner here, with their manager Alex Cora being the ex-teammate of Alex Bregman and lobbying behind him. But each of these offers is at a standstill due to the high price tag associated. Now, with the Astros also involved in contention, Bregman has another shot to look at, but he is largely out of touch with the Astros owing to their budgetary constraints. But offering 3B may get the Astros some brownies in the sweepstakes. 

The Red Sox, even though are the favorites to land Bregman, have offered 2B for him, while the Astros are the only team to offer 3B and his staple position. What can be better than getting back to the same team in the same position? Hence, this is the only factor that is keeping the Astros in contention, but it will all depend on what amount he is getting from other teams. Once the Red Sox or Tigers offer Alex Bregman as per his expectations, the game will be all over for the Astros. 

Now, it is up to Alex Bregman to choose the Astros or go for other offers. Till then, the Astros are keeping the doors open for Bregman; so, what do you think about Bregman’s chance with the Houston team? Share your take below.