Some players have played for one team for so long that it's hard to imagine them anywhere else, and Alex Bregman fits that bill. The two-time All-Star has been with the Houston Astros since 2016, but there's a chance the team won't re-sign him this offseason.
Bregman's agent Scott Boras threw shade at the organization on Monday for the stalled negotiations, via The Athletic's Chandler Rome.
“Over time, teams learn if you’re running from leadership and talent, you’re running from the ultimate goal,” the mega-agent said.
The Astros offered Bregman a six-year, $156 million deal, via MLB.com. That's an uncharacteristically hefty offer for team owner Jim Crane, who's never offered a player more than $151 million guaranteed or a contract longer than six years.
Still, though, it seems that Boras and Bregman aren't satisfied. They do have a right to ask for more, as the two-time World Series champion has been a franchise cornerstone for almost a decade.
Astros will divorce from Alex Bregman if necessary

Houston, though, protected itself with a contingency plan, acquiring fellow third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Chicago Cubs as part of the trade package for star outfielder Kyle Tucker on December 13. Astros general manager Dana Brown admitted that the organization didn't want to be held hostage by Bregman's camp.
“I won’t get into specifics but I feel like the negotiations stalled,” Brown said Monday. “I feel like we made a really competitive offer and showed that we wanted him back. But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there.”
If Bregman does leave, it may be tough for longtime teammates such as Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez. However, there's no crying in baseball, and the business side can be unforgiving.
“I think the team understands that we made him a competitive offer,” Brown continued. “I really think the guys understand that. I think the guys in that clubhouse understand that, look, this is a business as well. We worked to be competitive. We owe it to the team to pursue other options when things stall. We feel like we’re still a really good team with these additions this offseason.”
With both Paredes and newly signed first baseman Christian Walker adding to Houston's established core, it will still contend, even without Bregman. However, life without the club legend would certainly be an adjustment for fans and players alike.