Without a doubt, Alex Bregman is among the biggest fishes in the MLB free agency pond. After declining a qualifying offer of $21.05 million for a year from the Houston Astros, Bregman is free to sign with any ball club, though, the Astros can still be an option for the two-time World Series champion.
The Astros are said to be willing to dig deep into their pockets for a massive contract offer of $156 million for four years to bring back Bregman, but according to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, that kind of deal is way off what the 30-year-old star is looking to secure.
“The Houston Astros would love to have Alex Bregman back on a six-year deal worth about $156 million, but Bregman is seeking a deal worth at least $200 million,” Nightengale wrote.
There is also a report that Bregman is looking to hit paydirt, similar to what Manny Machado landed with the San Diego Padres. Machado put pen to paper for a renewed deal with the Friars last February worth a staggering $350 million spread across 11 years. Given the apparent disparity between what the Astros are said to be willing to offer Bregman and what he is after in MLB free agency, it appears that his prospects of returning to Houston at the moment are not too encouraging.
Then again, money might not be the one and only factor Bregman is considering. Bregman surely has a strong attachment to the Astros, as he’s never played for another team in his entire MLB career thus far. It was Houston that took him in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
With the Astros, Bregman won a pair of World Series rings, became a two-time All-Star, and a Gold Glove winner. Plus, Houston is still viewed as a World Series contender, having reached the MLB playoffs in each of the last eight seasons. A familiar team and environment with a seemingly considerable chance to still bag a World Series crown are additional factors Bregman can consider when thinking about running it with Houston.
In what could turn out to be his final season with the Astros, Bregman hit .260/.315/.453 with a 110 OPS+, 26 home runs, and 75 RBIs across 145 games and 634 plate appearances in the 2023 campaign.
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