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    • Best fits in free agency, MLB rumors for Astros long-time 3B
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    Best fits in free agency, MLB rumors for Astros long-time 3B

    Sakege Posted on

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    He may not have the Most Valuable Player award like his teammate José Altuve, but Alex Bregman has been one of the faces of the Houston Astros franchise since their historic period of dominance in the American League West began in 2017.

    Bregman, a free agent for the first time in his career at the age of 30, is one of the biggest names on the market this winter and is expected to reach a nine-figure contract.

    Bregman made his major league debut in 2016 and was a World Series champion in 2017, the first of Houston’s seven consecutive trips to the American League Championship Series. He finished second in American League MVP voting in 2019 with the best season of his career to date, hitting 41 home runs with a 1.015 OPS and 8.9 WAR. His power production has declined in the years since, but Bregman won the first Gold Glove of his career in 2024.

    Here’s a look at some of the top potential landing spots for Bregman:

    Houston Astros

    Can they really let him walk? Houston has won the American League West seven times in Bregman’s nine seasons and is the only club he has known since going second overall in the 2015 draft. A return makes sense, but the Astros may not be willing to give Bregman the kind of contract he wants (said to be in the $160-180 million range). That said, they signed José Altuve to a five-year extension last spring and it’s hard to imagine the second baseman will be very happy if his infieldmate leaves.

    New York Yankees

    Bregman would immediately solve the Yankees’ third base problem and allow Jazz Chisholm Jr. to move to second base. Maybe not a factor, but it’s worth remembering that Bregman is persona non grata in the Bronx for his role in the Astros cheating scandal, which allegedly deprived the Yankees of the American League pennant in 2017. Are they Are Yankees fans (and captain Aaron Judge?) willing to put all that aside for a guy with a sub-.800 OPS?

    New York Mets

    There are a couple different paths the Mets and Bregman could take here. He’s open to playing second base, a position the Mets desperately need to improve this winter. But if the team doesn’t bring back Pete Alonso or replace him outright at first, they could consider moving Mark Vientos to the other side of the diamond (or designated hitter?) and putting Gold Glove-winning Bregman at the hot corner. .

    Washington Nationals

    The future may now be in Washington. With a pretty decent rotation, an All-Star shortstop in CJ Abrams and young sluggers James Wood and Dylan Crews making waves in the majors, a wild card race wouldn’t be a surprise in 2025. Bregman can be expensive, but spending money would would make the Nationals a proven winner and perhaps most importantly, reestablish Washington as a team to take seriously.

    Toronto Blue Jays

    The Blue Jays really just want someone to take their money. Bregman would surely love to play with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on Toronto’s roster, but both Blue Jays stars are free agents after the 2025 season. Would Bregman compromise his long-term future with so much uncertainty?

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