Houston Astros fans may have to brace themselves for a future without beloved All-Star Alex Bregman at third base.
Reports from earlier this month indicated a huge gap exists between Bregman’s asking price and what the Astros were willing to offer.
With talks between Bregman and the Astros at a standstill, Houston began pursuing other moves. The team signed first baseman Christian Walker to a three-year deal.
The Astros also landed All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes in the deal that sent Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs. Houston was even linked to a different All-Star third baseman afterwards.
The Paredes acquisition on its own did not seem to shut the door on a Bregman return given that the former Cub could also slot in at first base. But with Walker now in the fold, the Astros’ infield seems to have been filled up.
Astros general manager Dana Brown on Monday said as much after the team officially introduced Walker.
“The way I view it now is that Isaac Paredes is going to plate 3rd base and Christian Walker will play first base,” Brown told reporters, via The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
“I won’t get into specifics but I feel like the negotiations [with Alex Bregman] stalled. I feel like we made a really competitive offer and showed that we wanted him back. But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there.”
While Brown did not outright say that the Astros were out on Bregman, his words seemed to suggest that the team is prepared to move on should no deal manifest.
The Astros already parted ways with All-Star slugger Tucker earlier this month. Losing Bregman as well would truly signal the end of an era in Houston.
Bregman has spent the first nine years of his MLB journey with the Astros. The 30-year old has batted .272 with 191 home runs, 663 RBIs, and an OPS of .848 throughout his career.
