Astros lose premier Alex Bregman backup plan on trade market

Houston Astros fans want to believe that the team will figure out a way to re-sign Alex Bregman. But what if they don't? The Astros' supposed six-year, $156 million offer was laughable. Looking at the current landscape on the free agent market, it's going to take a lot more than that to bring Bregman back to H-Town.

If Bregman leaves, there's no replacement in free agency who'll come close to matching his productivity, but St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado would be a terrific alternative if Bregman exits stage left. However, the Astros are not on his wishlist.

Nolan Arenado did not add the Astros to his list of potential trade destinations

The Cardinals are shopping Arenado this offseason and, according to John Denton of MLB.com, he's narrowed his list to six teams. The Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox are tops on Arenado's list. The Dodgers don't seem like a likely destination, with Max Muncy at third base, and Manny Machado is holding down the hot corner in San Diego.

Arenado, who has a full no-trade clause, has maintained his desire to join a team that's in win-now mode, so it's a bit surprising that the Angels are listed among his preferred destinations while the Astros are not. But Arenado's from southern California, so going back home makes a lot of sense. Arenado is still owed $74 million through the 2027 season.

This is rather disappointing, and only emphasizes the fact that the Astros have no free agent Plan B if Bregman leaves Houston. By the way, Jorge Polanco is not a Plan B. The Astros have put themselves in this position, and they're losing ground fast. Isaac Paredes, all of a sudden, feels like a must.

If Dana Brown isn't careful, the Astros will be in the exact same position the Cardinals currently find themselves — retooling the roster with no hopes of competing this season. That's not the direction Astros fans want to see this franchise go, which is why bringing back Bregman is said to be priority No. 1 this offseason.

More Houston Astros News and Rumors