Alex Bregman’s opt-out decision continues to vindicate Astros’ offseason choice

Boston Red Sox fans have found out what Houston Astros fans have already known for a year. The only thing that All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman cares about is money. Bregman put on quite the charade once the Red Sox were eliminated by the New York Yankees earlier this month, but his true colors have once again been exposed. Bregman is opting out of his three-year, $120MM deal with the Red Sox and will test free agency once again this winter.

The funniest part of this week's news is that the Red Sox are already being talked about as if they are the favorites to sign Bregman, considering he spent the last season in Boston and became a clubhouse leader. Clearly, no one was paying attention to what happened between Bregman and the Astros last offseason.

Bregman spent the first nine years of his career with the Astros, becoming a staple during the team's run of dominance in the American League West. One would think that there would be a loyalty to the Astros, and when Bregman's market stalled last winter, Houston offered a lifeline to the tune of $156MM for 6 years. Instead, Bregman was stubborn, chased the most money he could with the Red Sox, and now is trying to do it all over again.

Alex Bregman’s latest move proves Astros were right about him all along

Bregman almost certainly will be looking for a larger offer than what the Astros proposed last offseason, but he may not find out. Sure, Bregman was selected to the American League All-Star team this season, but some factors could be working against him this offseason.

The first is that Bregman suffered a quad strain that limited him to 114 games last season, and he will be turning 32 before the start of next season. Not to mention, it is an ugly finish to the season, with Bregman slashing .216/.310/.330 with 2 home runs and a 76 wRC+ during his final 100 plate appearances. Factor in the potential work stoppage in 2027, and teams may be hesitant to sign a player like Bregman to a long-term deal.

The Astros have their share of problems heading into this offseason, but it continues to look like they made the right decision in letting Bregman walk last winter.