Astros Forecast: $100 Million in Trade Double-Star in the Initial “Overreaction”
Over the past seven seasons, the Houston Astros have qualified for the postseason twice and won the World Series once, making them one of MLB’s most reliable playoff challengers.
However, following the Astros’ 4–7 start to the 2024 season,
s, Andy McCullough, and Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic suggested that the organization will deal star third baseman Alex Bregman by the All-Star break, calling this a “premature-season overreaction” on the part of the Astros.
They stated, “The Astros certainly thought they’d get some of those wins on the strength of their offense, and they certainly expected to win more than four of their first 11 games.” “They lost two of three games to the Texas Rangers last weekend, raising concerns about their pitching depth and making Jose Abreau’s struggles even more difficult to overlook after they were swept by the (New York) Yankees on Opening Weekend.”
Alex Bregman Is An Alluring Trade Chip If the Houston Astros Decide to Sell
Because of his value, Bregman is a likely trade piece should the Astros decide to sell by mid-season. Additionally, he is nearing the end of a five-year, $100 million contract with the organization, and another big contract in the form of an extension is probably in order. The Astros may eventually find it to be too much to bear, especially since other key players will also be expecting big salaries.
For CBS Sports, Mike Axisa forecasted that “eight years at $30 million a pop could be what it takes to get (agent Scott) Boras and Bregman to pass up free agency after the season.” Do the Astros have to do it? The Astros must consider contract extensions for Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez as well, as they have two years left before they become free agents.
Even with one year remaining on his team’s contract, Bregman may command a huge return given the limited free agent market for third base, according to Kade Kistner of Inside The Astros. “Houston’s depleted farm system, which ranks dead last in baseball, could be replenished with some promising prospects in a return haul.”
The Astros in Houston have promised to extend their contract with Alex Bregman.
Astros general manager Dana Brown has played down the likelihood of moving Bregman in public.
Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that Dana Brown “said his conversation with Scott Boras… reiterated that there’s no timeline for Alex Bregman, but ‘at some point, we will make an offer,’ Brown said.”
However, even the best-laid plans can go awry, so if the Astros are out of the postseason picture for the first time in over 10 years, they might decide to use some of their core from the World Series with an eye toward the future.
For Heavy.com, Peter Chawaga writes about Major League Baseball. With over ten years of experience in newsrooms, the author and editor has had his work featured in national newspapers, magazines, and websites. His baseball writing has appeared in several publications, including Yardbarker and Last Word On Sports. Additional information on Peter Chawaga
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