With spring coaching every week away, the Houston Astros took care of a really piece of necessary 2024 enterprise Tuesday. The Astros signed franchise participant Jose Altuve to a five-year, $125 million contract protecting the 2025-29 seasons. It is going to take him by age 39 and guarantee Altuve makes a run at 3,000 hits in an Astros uniform.
Altuve was scheduled to grow to be a free agent after the 2024 season and he was not the one distinguished Astro heading into his contract yr. Third baseman Alex Bregman can also be set to hit free company after the approaching season, and with Altuve locked up, GM Dana Brown figures to shift his focus to Bregman, and check out to verify his left facet of the infield retire collectively.
“We’ll actually go to with Bregman when the time comes,” proprietor Jim Crane instructed MLB.com Tuesday when requested about future extensions.
Bregman, 30 in March, slashed .292/.363/.441 with 25 dwelling runs and extra walks (92) than strikeouts (87) in 161 video games in 2023. His manufacturing, whereas nonetheless glorious, has been down the final three years relative to his 2018-19 efforts. From 2018-19, Bregman authored a .291/.409/.561 line with 72 homers and significantly extra walks (215) than strikeouts (168).
These 2018-19 seasons coincide with a file variety of dwelling runs hit league-wide, presumably as a result of the ball was juiced, and sure, in addition they coincide with Houston’s sign-stealing scandal. Bregman was an MVP-caliber participant in 2018 (fifth within the voting) and 2019 (second within the voting). From 2021-23, he is been nearer to All-Star caliber, which, once more, continues to be glorious.
Bregman, like Altuve, is a Scott Boras shopper. Boras usually takes his prime shoppers out into free company, although Altuve handed up free company to signal an extension (twice), and so did Lance McCullers Jr., one other Astro. The Astros do not prolong everybody (Carlos Correa, George Springer, and others left as free brokers), however they’ve had success getting Boras shoppers to stay round.
Bregman will likely be 31 on Opening Day 2025, the primary yr of his subsequent contract. Listed below are the most important contracts given to infielders coming into their age-31 season:
The Wright and Longoria contracts have been signed so way back that they don’t seem to be significantly related to Bregman. The RamÃrez contract is a steal and Boras is not identified for giving bargains. Semien is an inexpensive benchmark for a Bregman extension, although Bregman has an extended monitor file as an elite participant. Semien did not actually hit his stride till his age-28 season in 2019.
Canó signed his deal over a decade in the past, however as a result of it’s the file assure for an infielder Bregman’s age, that is the quantity Boras possible has in thoughts. Bregman’s present contract pays him $28.5 million in 2024 and he is a $30 million-a-year participant. Eight years at $30 million beats Semien’s contract and matches Canó’s $240 million assure throughout fewer years.
Eight years at $30 million a pop could possibly be what it takes to get Boras and Bregman to go up free company after the season. Ought to the Astros do it? Kyle Tucker and Framber Valdez are each two years away from free company, so the Astros have to begin occupied with extensions for them too. Bregman’s subsequent contract figures to incorporate a number of decline years. That is a bit scary.
Zach Dezenzo and Will Wagner, Houston’s prime two third base prospects, are hitters first and defenders second, and it is not sure both will stick at third base long-term. Utility gamers like Mauricio Dubón, David Hensley, and Grae Kessinger are, properly, utility gamers, and greatest utilized in moderation. None could be an enough alternative for Bregman at third base.
Subsequent offseason’s third base free-agent class is scheduled to incorporate J.D. Davis, Brandon Drury, and Yoán Moncada along with Bregman. Different free agent infielders like Willy Adames and Gleyber Torres could possibly be third base candidates, although it’s not their pure place. Level is, the inner and exterior choices to interchange Bregman are restricted. That components into the extension calculus.
Altuve’s state of affairs and Bregman’s state of affairs are very completely different. Altuve is coming into the ultimate season of the extension that purchased out his prime years. His subsequent extension covers the tail finish of his profession. Bregman continues to be in his prime, and he and Boras will count on to be paid accordingly. And, frankly, they’re possible in search of the type of contract Astros proprietor Jim Crane has averted.
For now, the Astros have Altuve by 2029 and Bregman solely by 2024. They know they’ve at the very least yet another yr with their star left facet of the infield. Bregman is extra prone to take a look at free company than Altuve ever was, and given Crane’s tendency to keep away from giant free agent offers, Bregman’s subsequent contract very properly might come from a brand new group subsequent offseason.
