Houston Astros' Decision to Let Former Star Walk Looking Like Major Mistake

The Houston Astros have struggled at the plate early on in the new season, and it doesn't help that the star they let walk has been killing it.

Apr 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Red Sox third base Alex Bregman (2) singles against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros came into the new season with a much different look. The front office made an obvious effort last offseason to shift the makeup of the roster, leading to several star players from their recent run suiting up for different teams in 2025.

One player in particular that Houston allowed to walk in free agency was longtime star third baseman Alex Bregman. After spending the first nine years of his career in an Astros' uniform, the two-time World Series champ signed with the Boston Red Sox on a three-year $120 million deal.

Replacing the production both at the plate and on the field that Bregman provided was always going to be a tough ask. The fact that GM Dana Brown's attempts at securing a suitable replacement in Nolan Arenado were thwarted by his no-trade clause only compounded these concerns heading into the season.

Fast forward to where we are now, and it's clear that the Astros are sorely missing Bregman's bat in the middle of their lineup. As of this writing, the former two-time All Star is slashing .321/.365/.564 with four homer runs an 16 RBIs.

Alex Bregman tonight:

5 for 5, 2 HR, 4 RBI

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/FpdepROWr4

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 16, 2025

Those stats would easily make him the best hitter in Houston's lineup. Of the Astros' current qualified hitters, only Jose Altuve even comes close to Bregman's production at the plate. Altuve has his former teammate beat in batting average, but Bregman would be the team leader in every other major statistic.

Things have been so bad for the Astros at the plate that the player with second best batting average currently is who Houston eventually slotted in to replace Bregman in Issac Parades, who currently holds a .235 average.

Despite that low number, Parades has actually been good for his new team. The infield utility man can play at both corners of the infield though, which means that with Bregman in the fold he could be slotted in at first in place of the struggling Christian Walker.

It's one thing for a team to lose a star to free agency, or for Houston's front office to say they just weren't comfortable paying the now 31-year-old Bregman $40 million a year. What makes this situation so bizzare though, is that the Astros reportedly never even serious in bringing him back.

Now, they're watching the star they let walk out the door dominate at the plate, while they have struggled to find any sort of consistency at the plate.

Obviously, there is a long way to go in the season, and fortunes can reverse for both teams and players very fast. As of right now though, it's hard to look at what Bregman is doing for his new team and not think that Houston wouldn't be worlds better offensively with that in their lineup.