It seemed like the writing was on the wall for Alex Bregman. Reports surfaced that contract extension talks between the Astros and the third baseman had stalled. An aggressive offer (reported at $156 million) was met with Bregman's desire for a $200 million contract. It seemed like the end was here when Bregman exited the field to a heartfelt applause from Houston fans.
Bregman was arguably the second or third best available free agent and seemed to be receiving a lot of interest. Teams like the Tigers, Red Sox, Mets and Blue Jays have all been rumored to be interested in Bregman's services, however, none seem to be willing to meet his $200 million ask.
This has led to reports that the Astros and Bregman have re-engaged in their conversations. Who knows if the Astros are willing to budge from their reported $156 million offer, or if Bregman is willing to come down from his $200 million ask? As things stand, it seems like Bregman isn't getting the interest he initially thought and maybe for a slight discount, he would just stay in Houston.
Him resigning with the Astros could come with a relatively interesting twist, as Jose Altuve has reportedly stated he is willing to move to left field to accommodate his former teammate. That just seems so weird, but what a great move from two guys who have played together since 2016, winning two World Series together.
While that all seems great, his move could pose a serious issue for the pitching staff. Owner, Jim Crane, has stated numerous times that he doesn't want to cross over the luxury tax threshold. A Bregman addition (followed by an expected Ryan Pressly trade) wouldn't affect that this year, it could play a major factor next year, when Framber Valdez enters free agency.
Valdez will enter free agency around the time he turns 32 years old, so maybe he doesn't get the eight-year deal that Fried got. However, he has been one of the best pitchers over the last four or five years and has every right to demand Fried type money on an annual basis. The New York Yankees gave Fried an average of $27.25 million per year, and something like that isn't that outlandish for Valdez to expect. If that is the case, the addition of Bregman likely signals the end of Framber Valdez's career in Houston.
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