Face of the Astros sounds wildly optimistic that Alex Bregman is coming back

The Houston Astros have a major decision to make this offseason. Will the Astros spend the money necessary to re-sign free agent-to-be Alex Bregman, or will Houston say goodbye to yet another star player?

At least one of Bregman's teammates believes that he'll be back in Houston next season. Jose Altuve recently told Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required), “I don’t see any chances of him leaving. That might be just me. I really think that, at the end of the season, our front office people, GM and ownership (are) going to get a deal done for him."

When the face of the franchise talks, people listen. Houston did what they needed to do this past spring and agreed to a five-year extension with Altuve that will make him an Astro for life. It would seem that Altuve believes Houston will do the same for Bregman.

Face of the Astros wildly optimistic that Alex Bregman is coming back

But perhaps Altuve's optimism, while admirable, is sorely misplaced. The Astros don't exactly have a great track record of retaining some of their top free agents. Carlos Correa and George Springer come to mind, and even Justin Verlander left Space City after the 2022 season, and only returned because of a deal with the New York Mets at last year's trade deadline.

The Astros know what they have in Bregman. The two-time All-Star is one of the top third baseman in the league. Bregman is worth 3.6 fWAR this season, and has been even better in years past. Defensively, the 30-year-old is above average and, as recently suggested by his agent Scott Boras, Bregman can also play second base.

Whether or not Bregman re-signs with Houston comes down to one big factor — will Jim Crane open up his wallet and offer the infielder a deal that extends past five seasons? That's been the sticking point for years, and it seems unlikely that Houston's ownership and front office will be willing to change anytime soon.

Having Altuve on your side is a plus, but the fact that he and Bregman share the same agent undoubtedly plays into his comments. If the Astros give Bregman the biggest offer on the open market, he'll be back in H-Town next season. If another club is willing to offer more, he's as good as gone. It's really that simple.

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