Rockies timid trade deadline approach offers Astros a solution if Alex Bregman leaves

Let's face it, Astros fans, the chances of Alex Bregman returning to H-Town are getting slimmer by the minute. Unless Houston Astros' owner Jim Crane has a change of heart and offers Bregman a massive contract extension — one that exceeds the six-year, $151 million deal that Matt Chapman signed with the San Francisco Giants — then the All-Star third baseman will likely enter free agency this offseason.

Once that happens, all bets are off. Bregman and his representation will be seeking the largest deal possible, and some big-market ball clubs like the New York Mets and New York Yankees may be willing to offer the 30-year-old a check that Houston refuses to match.

If Bregman leaves this winter, there will be a huge void at third base. Bregman not only brings a career 132 OPS+ to the table, but Gold Glove-caliber defense as well. Bregman was just named an American League finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove this season.

If Alex Bregman leaves, the Astros should target Rockies 3B Ryan McMahon

If Bregman decides to flee Space City this winter, the Astros need to look outside the organization to fill the void at third base. Zach Dezenzo and Shay Whitcomb received tryouts late last season, and the results were iffy at best. And while the free agent market isn't rife with third base talent outside of Bregman, perhaps the Colorado Rockies would rethink their trade deadline approach and put Ryan McMahon on the block.

The Rockies were, and still are, in full-on rebuild mode. Yet at the trade deadline, the Rockies refused to move their All-Star third baseman. Prior to the July 30 deadline, McMahon was hitting .262/.348/.440. But the Rockies' infielder hit a wall once the calendar flipped to August and posted a .199/.276/.304 slash line after the trade deadline.

If the Astros feel that McMahon's second half was just blip on the radar and not an indication of things to come, Houston should make a play this offseason for the Rockies' third baseman.

Rockies 3B Ryan McMahon offers the Astros a low-cost replacement for Alex Bregman

No, McMahon's bat is not going to rival Bregman's at third base, but the price tag attached to McMahon is much more affordable. The 29-year-old signed a six-year, $70 million deal back in 2022, and has three years and $44 million remaining on his current contract. That $14.6 million average annual value (AAV) looks a lot nicer than the $25 million-plus AAV that Bregman will be looking for this offseason.

Though McMahon doesn't have a Gold Glove on his trophy shelf just yet, he's among the finalists this season alongside Chapman and Nolan Arenado. McMahon was worth 7 outs above average (OAA) in 2024 and 24 OAA over the past three seasons. McMahon has also ranked among the 75th percentile or higher in both average exit velocity and walk rate the past three seasons.

The cold, hard truth is that few players will match Bregman's output. But if the Astros are looking for a more affordable option that would allow them to pursue contract extensions with players like Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker, swinging a trade for McMahon might do the trick.

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