Former Houston Astros Star Alex Bregman Reportedly At Standstill with AL Suitor

Former Houston Astros fan favorite Alex Bregman continues to hit road blocks in his attempt to find a new team for the 2025 MLB season.
Aug 6, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA;  Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) warms up before the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Aug 6, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) warms up before the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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Alex Bregman's free agency saga continues as the former Houston Astros third baseman continues to search for a new home on a deal that exceeds six years.

The Scott Boras-represented athlete has had little success in garnering any contract offers, outside of a six-year, $156 million offer from the Astros that he turned down earlier this winter.

Top suitors for Bregman's services include the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers. The Blue Jays just signed Anthony Santander to a five-year deal and now their sights are set on potentially adding Pete Alonso.

Much talk has surrounded the Red Sox being the top suitors and his last chance at the coveted seven-year deal but much noise surrounding that has recently died down.

The Tigers have been the team with the most buzz recently as their is mutual interest between the two sides. But according to The Detroit Free Press, the two sides are at a standstill.

"The gap in perceived value between the Tigers and Bregman still exists," writes Evan Petzold. "For example, the Tigers refuse to pay $200 million and Bregman refuses to accept a short-term deal. Talks between the two sides have reached a standstill, even though there's mutual interest."

This has been Bregaman's issue all winter. He refuses to take a short-term deal and any team that is willing to go seven-years doesn't feel comfortable doling out more than $200 million which translates to just over $28.5 million a year. Especially since he has been in a steady decline since his 2022 season and is almost 31 years old.

It is a gamble for a team to give Bregman a lengthy contract at his age and stage in his career. And he has done little over the last two seasons to show that his decline is nothing more than a blip instead of a trend.

He is still an elite player and will likely be able to remain at the hot corner for at least a few more seasons. But the back half of any extended contract will likely not favor the signing team.

Where Bregman ends up is still a mystery but it seems as if the franchises pursuing his services are the ones truly in the driver's seat at this juncture, not Bregman or his agent Scott Boras.


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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.