The struggle for the former Astros’ star, Alex Bregman, continues! While he hasn’t found any takers willing to offer anything beyond six years and $200 million, the Astros’ skipper, Joe Espada, on January 25, expressed his interest in getting Bregman back to the team. But considering that he declined a six-year, $156 million contract earlier, the reunion seems unlikely.

Alex Bregman’s impressive record and contribution to the Houston team can never be ignored. With Bregman’s record of slashing 375/.490/.750 and posting 1.240 OPS, he can be a great bet if he returns to the Mets, although requiring some positional changes. However, other teams are vying for his services as well.

The Astros’ skipper shares an emotional message seeking Bregman’s return

After becoming the free agent, Alex Bregman has not fetched the desired attention, as no team is willing to offer him a long-term contract. Despite rejecting the previous offer by the Houston Astros, they have kept the doors open. During a question-answer session on January 25, when asked about Alex Bregman, Joe Espada said, “So, you know we haven’t shut the doors. You know, he’s still a free agent, and as the manager of the team, we would love to have him back.” Joe talked about the value Bregman adds to the table, and they would be fortunate to have him back.

Alex Bregman’s astounding record of 275/.315/.453 slash line, 4.1 WAR, and 26 home runs in 2024 make him a strong asset that every team vies for. Joe, however, confirmed some plans to retain Bregman. Although there’s no confirmation yet, in case he returns, the Mets would like to change the positions of some players: Jose Altuve could move to left field, or they could trade reliever Ryan Pressly to accommodate Bregman.

So, what will it be for Breggy? Will he continue searching for some more viable options or go back to the Astros? Indications suggest that he is more interested in some long-term contract. But given the lack of interest shown by other teams, Bregman may reconsider his decision, and the Astros and their fans are quite hopeful of his return. However, with his rejection of the earlier offer, a possible Astros-Alex reunion might be unlikely, which paves the way for another team to get him—the Detroit Tigers.

Detroit Tigers seem to be a prime contender for Alex Bregman

Speculations mount over a possible link between the Detroit Tigers and Alex Bregman. Due to his stellar record with his former team, Alex can perfectly fit to fill the gap in their roster. Despite the Tigers’ best pitching performance recently, they have suffered mainly due to their poor offense. They got tied for 21st out of the 30 MLB teams with 95 wRC+ and.685 OPS, and they ranked 24th. Thus, signing Bregman could help in improving the below-average offense greatly. But that’s not all!

According to FanGraphs, Bregman is projected to make 24 home runs, hitting.261 and.787 OPS across the 159 games that he will play in 2025. It will eventually result in 122 wRC+, which is even higher than the league’s average offense. Moreover, the Tigers’ manager, A.J. Hinch, shares a good bond with Bregman, as he coached him from 2015 to 2019, which makes them trust each other too. Additionally, the huge amount of skills and experience that Bregman possesses would certainly help in increasing the Tigers’ chances of making it big this season.

Although it is too early to say where Alex Bregman would like to go, can the Detroit Tigers give him a better offer than the Houston Astros? What do you think? Share in the comments below.