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Alex Bregman still hasn't signed with a team for the 2025 MLB season, and it once again seems like when he does, it won't be with the Houston Astros.
Bregman and the Astros have had a hot-and-cold offseason. After seemingly closing the door on a reunion by acquiring Isaac Paredes and publicly chasing Nolan Arenado, the Astros reportedly offered the third baseman a six-year contract. Then, last week, general manager Dana Brown let slip that the team “lost Bregman.”
ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Monday that the Astros are not optimistic about bringing back their homegrown third baseman.
“Alex Bregman, who is likely to land with the Red Sox, Cubs or Tigers soon; sources in the Astros organization are skeptical he'll return to Houston,” he wrote.
Olney then outlined the pros and cons to Bregman playing in Boston, Chicago and Detroit.
“If he goes to Fenway Park, he could pepper the Green Monster while relearning the nuances of playing in the middle infield,” he said, referring to his likely move to second base in Boston to accommodate third baseman Rafael Devers. “If he goes to Chicago — likely on a short-term, Cody Bellinger-type deal — he will have pressure to produce. And if he signs with the Tigers, it would be Detroit's de facto announcement that with Tarik Skubal two years from free agency, the team's window to win is now, and the expensive signing of Bregman would be an all-in move.”
Alex Bregman is the most coveted free agent left on the board
With pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training this week, there aren't many high-profile free agents left. Bregman is the biggest name remaining and the chatter around him is amplifying.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal weighed in on Monday, suggesting that if Bregman chooses the Tigers or Cubs, he will have to contend with unfavorable ballparks for right-handed batters.
“Perhaps Bregman is only thinking about getting top dollar,” he wrote. “But his choice of parks could have an impact on his future production and career legacy.”
Meanwhile the Red Sox are said to still be looking for a right-handed bat with Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow hinting that Bregman would be that guy.
“We’re still very much engaged in trying to bring in a right-handed hitter, obviously one that we think can be a difference-maker,” he said on The Fenway Rundown podcast last week.
While Bregman's ultimate destination is still to be determined, we do know he is looking for a long-term deal — one that would take the 30-year-old through his age 36 season. It's unclear which teams other than the Astros, if any, are willing to offer that.
