Most of the work that the Houston Astros were going to do this offseason has already been done. Sure, it would be nice to add another starter or a lefty outfield bat, but the desirable options at those spots are few and far between right now. The only real outstanding question is whether or not the Astros find a way to reunite with Alex Bregman.
The odds of such a reunion with Bregman seem very unclear at the moment. Houston is publicly saying that bringing Bregman back is a long shot and the financials suggest that it could be a tough sell for both sides, especially if the Astros stand firm on their existing offer. However, rumors persist that both sides are interested in a reunion and talks are ongoing.
However, the latest Astros rumor suggests that Houston is moving on as The Athletic's Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal are reporting that the team is actively pursuing Jorge Polanco, which is...interesting to say the least.
Astros Rumors: Houston could be pivoting away from Alex Bregman to Jorge Polanco
The non-tin foil hat explanation here is that the Astros have grown to accept that the gap between the team and Bregman is just going to be too big to overcome and Polanco is an earnest pivot. Houston's interest in Polanco is not new per se, but his name has only reemerged recently as a potential option.
Now, if you are into more conspiratorial thinking, the timing of this report in the middle of all of these Bregman rumors is pretty interesting. While Polanco isn't anywhere close to the player that Bregman is, there is a world in which the Astros want it known that they are considering the longtime Minnesota Twins infielder as an option. Perhaps this could get Bregman and Scott Boras back to the table on their terms.
Assuming a world where Bregman truly wants to come back to the Astros and Houston knows it, putting some urgency in these talks by saying "this is our best offer, take it or leave it" has some merit. It could create some hurt feelings on Bregman's side, but this saga has gone on long enough and it is hard to blame the Astros for wanting it to be over with.