Houston Astros Superstar Free Agent Now This Offseason’s Biggest Loser

Whatever happens from this point, it appears the former Houston Astros infielder is the offseason’s biggest free agency loser.

Sep 4, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) high fives teammates after scoring on a RBI single hit by outfielder Ben Gamel (not pictured) in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Houston Astros slugger Alex Bregman and his agent, Scott Boras, likely had big dreams when he entered free agency in November.

Considered one of the best hitters on the market, most MLB insiders and experts pegged him as a player that could land at least a five-year contract with a hefty average annual value.

But here it is early February and Bregman remains unsigned. The encouraging signs of last weekend have faded. And, on Tuesday night, Pete Alonso signed a new contract with the New York Mets.

The price tag? Two years, $54 million. It’s a far cry from what Alonso was hoping for, too. But, like Bregman, he was saddled with a tepid market that didn’t want to commit to him long term. No one should sniff at more than $25 million per year. But it’s the security that most MLB players crave.

It’s the security that Alonso didn’t get. It’s the same security that Bregman is now almost certain not to get, either.

That is on Bregman, though hindsight can be tricky.

The Astros offered him a six-year deal worth $156 million at the start of free agency. That is $26 million per year. That’s just $1 million less per year than Alonso will get, but four more years of security that the “Polar Bear” craved.

Bregman turned it down. The problem is the money doesn’t seem to be anywhere else.

The reports from last month that Bregman was weighing “multiple five-year offers,” per KPRC 2 Sports in Houston? Nothing has materialized. Surely Boras, one of the best agents in baseball, could have read those tea leaves and gotten something done, right?

But, no, nothing. Insiders keep tying Bregman to the Detroit Tigers, because his former manager, A.J. Hinch is the boss there. Same with the Boston Red Sox, led by a former Astros bench coach, Joey Cora. The Chicago Cubs are reportedly involved.

Houston is even trying out contingency plans in case the Astros were able to lure Bregman back. I mean, why else would Houston have Jose Altuve working out in left field?

The temptation is to blame the team in this situation. But the fact is the Astros made what turned out to be a solid, market value offer to Bregman. He and his agent turned it down. Bregman and Boras badly miscalculated.

Now, Bregman’s free agency may bleed into March, especially if this turns into a Blake Snell situation.

The slugger ends up the biggest loser of this free agency cycle, no matter what happens now.