The Houston Astros want nothing more than to win the championship. And right now, the talk going on is all about Alex Bregman. Never did they think that a player of his caliber would be out there in the market till now. For months, it seemed like the fan-favorite player was as good as gone. He turned down a six-year deal of $156 million, after all. Also, Houston traded Kyle Tucker to bring in Issac Paredes, and that made a reunion with Bregman more of a dream. But it’s not clear where Bregman is headed, yet.

Over the weekend, the Houston Astros traded Ryan Pressly and his $14 million contract. This, according to many, is a sign that the team is clearing the path to get their star player back. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, after the Pressly trade, said confidently, “It opens the door wide open for Alex Bregman” to come back to Houston. But there are doubts about his huge $200 million ask and whether he is worth it in his thirties. Is he worth it is the big question? Well, some like Trevor Plouffe think that without Bregman, a championship is only wishful thinking.

Can the Astros be WS contenders without Alex Bregman?

As the off-season is nearing its close, one big question is whether the Astros are World Series contenders without Alex Bregman. MLB analyst Trevor Plouffe isn’t so sure. On the Baseball Today podcast, he said, “They never will be able to fill those shoes.” Highlighting the importance of Bregman in the Houston lineup. He mentioned that right now his outlook on the team has shifted from last year when Bregman was there.

“Last year I would have said 100% that the Astros are going to be in the ALCS. This year, I am not feeling that way,” said Plouffe in the podcast. But while Plouffe is all for Bregman in the Houston Astros, some like Jeff Joyce, the MLB Radio host, aren’t keeping high hopes. He is skeptical about paying Bregman such big money as he is entering his thirties. For him, it feels like the team is just chasing the player for the sake of it. But while he and Plouffe don’t agree on the Bregman aspect, there is one where they do agree, and it’s that the Astros are not the same team they were.

“They’re clearly not the team they were before,” said Jeff Joyce. For him, losing Kyle Tucker during the off-season was a bad move. Because the lineup minus Tucker has Christian Walker, and the rest is more or less like last year. For him, letting their star player go has put the team in a rather disadvantageous position. This narrative can surely change if the Astros can lock in Alex Bregman with a deal he is looking forward to. While the off-season chaos and drama are off, even the team members in Houston are making their way for their former teammates.

Where will Bregman even fit in the Houston lineup?

Now the scene has gone from whether Alex Bregman would come to Houston to where he even fit in. The Astros got Issac Paredes to play third base, and for first base, they got Christian Walker. Where is the spot for Bregman in the lineup? But then something unexpected happened as second baseman Jose Altuve, a potential Hall of Famer, announced that he was willing to move to left field to create space for Paredes in second.

This shift is what the team needs to keep the bullpen open for Alex Bregman. “For Alex, I’ll do whatever. He’s one of the best players in the whole league, and he’s definitely one of the best players on the team. We want him to stay so whatever I have to do for him to stay, I’m willing to do it,” said Jose Altuve. And his decision to give up a position he dominated speaks a lot about his commitment to the game and his fellow player whom he played with for years.

This will open the door for Bregman to return to the Houston Astros defense in the spot where he dominated and won the 2024 Gold Glove in. However, many teams are vying for his attention now, given the gaps in their roster. So it remains to see if Houston will agree to their last offer to raise the stakes.

Do you think Bregman will be Houston-bound again? Let us know your thoughts.