Astros' rival could be the key to Alex Bregman's departure in free agency

The Alex Bregman saga took a new turn earlier this week with word that Houston offered their star third baseman a six-year deal somewhere in the neighborhood of $156 million. That would seem like more of starting point rather than an actual offer. Bregman is said to be seeking a deal worth $200 million. Whether he gets it or not is another story.

So while the Astros themselves are not helping their case when it comes to re-signing Bregman, one of Houston's chief rivals are working against them as well. While not directly involved in negotiations with Bregman, the Seattle Mariners do have their eye on upgrading third base.

The Mariners have been linked to Philadelphia Phillies' third baseman Alec Bohm. The Phillies are rumored to be shopping both Bohm and outfielder Nick Castellanos, but that's only half the story. If Philadelphia is able to ship Bohm to Seattle (or elsewhere) there's a good chance that the Phillies would then make a play for Bregman's services.

Mariners could indirectly sabotage Astros' attempts to re-sign Alex Bregman

While the Mariners themselves have declared their intentions to steer clear of the mega-bucks it will require to ink a player like Bregman, the price tag for Bohm will be significantly less. Bohm is only expected to take home approximately $8 million and is arbitration eligible through the 2026 season. The Mariners had one of the worst lineups in the bigs last season, so adding Bohm makes sense.

But if Bohm is shipped to Seattle, the Phillies are not just going to sit back and promote a young prospect to the big league roster. They're going to go big-game hunting, and they'll be focused on adding a player like Bregman to their star-studded lineup.

Don't forget, the Phillies were tops in the National League last year. Outside of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies were the odds-on favorite to represent the National League the World Series in 2024. Their goals have not changed, and one could argue that the embarrassing postseason exit to their NL East rival will only intensify Philly's pursuit of a World Championship in 2025.

So while the Mariners aren't targeting Bregman, trading for Bohm would cause a domino effect that could very well put the Phillies in the driver's seat to outbid the Astros. If Houston's intent on bringing back, it's time to up the offer or they risk losing him to Philadelphia or another contender.

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