This afternoon offered a shock when USA At the moment’s Bob Nightengale reported that the Astros have been leaving the door open to bringing again Alex Bregman. It was typically anticipated that the Astros had moved on as soon as they acquired Isaac Paredes and signed Christian Walker to play the nook infield spots.
Nonetheless, it appears the Astros by no means absolutely closed the door on their longtime third baseman. Houston had reportedly made Bregman a six-year, $156MM supply earlier than they landed Paredes as a part of the Kyle Tucker return. Bregman clearly didn’t settle for, although it doesn’t appear that the group has pulled the supply even after what appeared to a pivot to contingency plans.
Chandler Rome of The Athletic experiences that Houston’s supply “stays on the desk.” Rome writes that strain inside the Astros’ clubhouse has contributed to the group reopening discussions with the two-time All-Star in latest days. It isn’t identified if which means they’re open to pushing their supply past $156MM, or in the event that they’re merely hoping that Bregman’s asking value will come all the way down to their degree now that he’s unsigned deep into January.
Nightengale recommended this afternoon that if the Astros managed to maintain Bregman, they might slide Paredes to second base whereas bumping Jose Altuve to left area. Rome confirms that the group is certainly contemplating that state of affairs. Whereas Altuve to the outfield doesn’t appear to be set in stone, Rome writes that Bregman would stick at third base if he signed again in Houston. They’d want to search out elsewhere within the lineup for Paredes.
Cash stays a stumbling block. The Astros exceeded the luxurious tax threshold final season. Rome experiences that proprietor Jim Crane has been reluctant to take action for a second straight yr. Houston already tasks narrowly above the $241MM base threshold, with RosterResource calculating their CBT quantity round $244MM. The Astros may make a commerce to dip beneath that mark. They’ve been working to dump most or all the $14MM owed to setup man Ryan Pressly, although the veteran righty has full no-trade rights and will scuttle these plans. Mauricio Dubón ($5MM) and Chas McCormick ($3.4MM) are on manageable arbitration salaries and may very well be doable commerce choices if Houston can’t deal Pressly.
There’s basically no means they’d get beneath the tax line in the event that they re-sign Bregman. He’d very possible command greater than $25MM yearly. Even when they commerce Pressly and determine to deal Paredes, who’ll play on a $6.625MM arbitration wage, they’d be above the road. That the Astros apparently nonetheless have a proposal out to Bregman demonstrates that Crane isn’t firmly dedicated to staying beneath the tax threshold. The proprietor has stated as a lot this offseason, although he has additionally been reluctant to approve long-term offers. Houston hasn’t signed a free agent contract longer than the five-year, $95MM Josh Hader deal from final winter since Crane bought the franchise greater than a decade in the past.
The Tigers, Crimson Sox and Blue Jays have additionally been linked to Bregman. Talks between the infielder and Detroit have been reportedly at a standstill as of Tuesday night.
