MLB

The details surrounding why Alex Bregman rejected a contract extension with the Houston Astros are not publicly available.

Tee Blaze February 12, 2024

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While the Houston Astros successfully secured a contract extension with Jose Altuve, negotiations with Alex Bregman have not seen significant progress.

Bob Nightingale of USA TODAY Sports suggests that the Houston Astros are unlikely to present a contract offer enticing enough to prevent Alex Bregman from exploring free agency after the 2024 season.

According to Nightengale, the Houston Astros intend to extend a contract offer to All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman before he reaches free agency. However, the offer is anticipated to fall significantly short of the $300 million over 10 years likely required to retain him. Additionally, Nightengale notes that no Astros player has previously been granted a contract longer than six years or exceeding $150 million.

Recently, Bregman’s agent, the renowned Scott Boras, indicated that the divergent career stages of Bregman and Altuve played a role in negotiating different contract terms for the two players. Boras suggested that retaining Bregman would necessitate a contract significantly different from the one secured by Altuve.

This insight highlights the potential challenges faced by the Houston Astros, particularly their reluctance to invest substantially, which could ultimately result in the departure of a key homegrown talent like Bregman.

At 29 years old, Bregman continues to showcase his prowess as a formidable hitter, demonstrating exceptional plate discipline by tallying more walks than strikeouts for the second consecutive season. Over this period, he has accumulated an impressive OPS of .812, along with 191 RBIs and 48 home runs.

While the Astros’ roster may be evolving with emerging talents like Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, Yainer Diaz, and Jeremy Peña, the presence of seasoned veterans like Bregman solidifies their status as one of the most potent teams in baseball. Given that Bregman is just entering his 30s, retaining him should undoubtedly be a priority for Houston.