Astros Still Pursuing Reunion With Red Sox Free-Agent Target: 'Door's Still Open'

Should the Red Sox worry about Houston rejoining the party?
Sep 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) answers questions from the media in the dugout prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) answers questions from the media in the dugout prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Boston Red Sox are still in search of a right-handed slugger, and a Houston Astros star has been one of their most frequently-discussed targets all winter long.

For a solid month, now, the Astros themselves have been widely considered to be out of the running. But that's not necessarily the case, according to their manager.

Free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, a two-time All-Star with the Astros, was unable to broker a new agreement with his longtime team early in the winter. The Astros then pivoted, trading for third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Chicago Cubs and signing Christian Walker to a three-year deal to play first base.

Manager Joe Espada said Monday, however, that filling Bregman's position didn't necessarily mean that the Astros were out on Bregman, and that the team and player were still keeping in contact.

“Well, he has not signed with anyone, right? Our arms are still open. The door’s still open,” Espada told FOX 26 Houston’s Nate Griffin. “There’s always a chance, right? But right now, we are still in conversations with not only him, but with other free-agent players, so we’ll see."

Bregman was reported to be seeking $200 million earlier this winter, but the Astros' best offer was six years, $156 million, per MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Though it's unlikely the Astros would still offer the same deal with Paredes and Walker in the fold, there's no evidence that any other team has an offer of that size on the table, either.

If the money is equal between the Red Sox and Astros, there's plenty of reason to believe Bregman could go back to Houston. And to be frank, Boston could really use him, especially because he's crushed the ball at Fenway Park in his career (1.245 OPS).

Though it has seemed for a while that the Red Sox are hoping to wait out Bregman's market, that strategy could prove dangerous if Houston is doing the same thing. And Espada's comments seem to hint at that possibility at the very least.

More MLB: Red Sox Ownership Group Reportedly Holding Firm On Lack Of Celtics Interest


Published
Jackson Roberts
JACKSON ROBERTS

Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org