MLB Insider Throws Cold Water on Idea of a Contract Extension For Houston Astros' Star 3B
We already knew that the Houston Astros reportedly plan to offer star third baseman Alex Bregman a contract extension, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today is throwing cold water on the idea of it actually happening.
Per Nightengale and his Sunday notebook:
- The Houston Astros plan to make All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman a contract offer before he hits free agency, but it’s not expected to come close to the $300 million over 10 years it likely will take to keep him.
No Astros player has ever received a contract longer than six years or more than $150 million.
Nightengale's point on the difficulty of signing Bregman is valid. First off, Scott Boras is his agent, and he has no problem taking players to market. Second, Bregman is younger than the recently-extended Jose Altuve. He'll be hitting free agency at 30-31 and could definitely get the 10-year deal that Nightengale anticipates as a result.
Bregman is already an eight-year veteran who has helped the Astros win the World Series in both 2017 and 2022. He's a two-time All-Star, an All-Star MVP and a Silver Slugger winner.
Lifetime, he's a .274 hitter with 165 homers and 588 RBI. He's coming off a year in which he hit 25 homers for the Astros and drove in 98. He also hit .262 and posted a .363 on-base percentage.
Bregman is one of the most feared hitters in one of the most feared lineups in all of baseball. Along with Altuve, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez, the 'Stros are one of the deepest lineups in the sport and should be able to contend for another American League pennant.
They won the American League West a season ago and advanced to the ALCS.
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