The Astros have known as re-signing Alex Bregman their prime offseason precedence. Whether or not that’ll occur stays to be seen, however Jon Heyman of the New York Submit writes that Houston has made a suggestion to their longtime third baseman. It’s unclear whether or not some other groups have made a proper proposal, however Heyman stories that Bregman’s camp has additionally fielded curiosity from the Tigers and Pink Sox.
Phrases of the Astros’ proposal aren’t identified. If Houston goes to retain Bregman, it’d most likely require the biggest funding in franchise historical past. Their earlier organizational excessive is the five-year, $151MM Jose Altuve extension from 2018. Bregman has a good shot at six or seven years at greater than $25MM yearly. He’ll presumably view Matt Chapman’s current six-year, $151MM extension as the ground and will look to beat $200MM.
Houston common supervisor Dana Brown stated early within the offseason that the Astros could must creatively handle the books, doubtlessly by buying and selling a veteran or two who’s enjoying on a notable wage. Proprietor Jim Crane stated earlier this week that the group has the pliability to exceed the posh tax threshold for a second straight yr.
That’d basically be a prerequisite to re-signing Bregman. RosterResource calculates Houston’s aggressive stability tax quantity within the $234MM vary. That’s not far under the $241MM base threshold. Even when the Astros commerce veteran setup man Ryan Pressly and offload his $14MM wage, a Bregman contract will ship them previous the CBT mark. They’re additionally on the lookout for assist at first base and will attempt for a extra reasonably priced bullpen pickup in the event that they deal Pressly.
That is the primary direct tie between Bregman and the Tigers. That has been a longstanding speculative match with former Astros supervisor A.J. Hinch main the cost in Motown. Detroit’s third base combine is unsettled. Matt Vierling, Zach McKinstry and prospect Jace Jung all took a good variety of at-bats on the place. Vierling and McKinstry are multi-positional gamers. Third base is the clearest match for the 24-year-old Jung, who has 34 video games of main league expertise. If the Tigers have been to land Bregman, Jung may push Spencer Torkelson for enjoying time at first base. He’d even be a possible commerce chip as Detroit appears to be like to solidify the rotation behind Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson.
Funds are the a lot greater impediment. Whereas Detroit has run payrolls north of $200MM previously, these got here when the late Mike Ilitch was working the franchise. The Tigers have dramatically lowered spending since Christopher Ilitich’s possession tenure started in 2017. A lot of that got here amidst a rebuild that was firmly closed by Detroit’s late-season run to the AL Division Sequence, so they may loosen the purse strings this winter. The Tigers solely have round $80MM on subsequent yr’s payroll, in accordance with RosterResource, almost $20MM under this previous season’s Opening Day mark. They need to be lively on the free agent market, however a Bregman deal would nearly definitely prime the $140MM Javier Báez contract as Detroit’s largest underneath Christopher Ilitch possession.
The Pink Sox seem extra doubtless than both the Astros or Tigers to make an enormous free agent splash. Boston brass continues to forecast an aggressive winter. A strike for a prime beginning pitcher is a clearer match than a run at Bregman. Heyman suggests the Sox may transfer Rafael Devers throughout the diamond to first base to accommodate Bregman. That’d push Triston Casas to designated hitter and presumably pressure Masataka Yoshida off the roster.
The better answer may be to go away Devers at third base for an additional season and deploy Bregman on the keystone. The Sox had one of many least productive second base teams in MLB this yr. Bregman has barely performed second base due to Altuve’s presence in Houston, however agent Scott Boras stated on the GM Conferences that the star infielder was prepared to slip to the suitable facet of the infield if crucial.
Bregman declined a qualifying provide, so the Tigers and Sox would forfeit a choose in the event that they have been to signal him. Detroit would lose its third-highest choose in subsequent yr’s draft. Boston would relinquish its second-highest choose and $500K from its worldwide bonus allotment. The Sox’s penalty is increased as a result of they don’t obtain income sharing, whereas the Tigers do. Houston wouldn’t quit something to re-sign their very own free agent, although they’d move up the possibility to gather a compensation choose after the fourth spherical if Bregman walks.
