The Houston Astros have been rather busy this off-season. The team traded Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and got in a third baseman, Issac Paredes. With that handled, they had their eyes on the prize—Alex Bregman, whom they called their ‘priority.’ A fan-favorite player, they wanted to get Bregman back to their clubhouse. However, it wasn’t going to be simple and, most importantly, cheap. Bergman, along with his agent, is looking for a contract of $200 million. But the Astros offer was $156 million to him, which is nowhere close to his number.

Given the likelihood is slim, the Astros wanted to have a backup and pivoted to getting Nolan Arenado. But alas, the St. Louis Cardinals star apparently lost interest after Kyle Tucker was on the outs and the uncertainty of Alex Bregman in the future of the club. He used his no-trade clause to block the trade to Houston; but instead of upping their amount for Bregman, the Astros have come to an agreement with Christian Walker for a $60 million deal for three years.

What does the Walker deal mean for Alex Bregman? 

Ken Rosenthal recently summed it up best on what this means for Bregman in the Houston Astros. “Would almost certainly mean Bregman is gone from Houston—and that Arenado won’t end up there. Astros would go with Walker at 1B and Isaac Paredes at 3B,” Rosenthal noted. However, he isn’t surprised that this decision came to be because Jim Crane, the owner, is not known to go for monstrous contracts. In fact, the $156 million deal the Astros offered to Alex Bregman was the highest they went for anybody.

Jim Crane isn’t afraid to let go of such high-ticket players; history says that the team has anyway thrived without those stars too. “I never expected Bregman to be back there,” said Ken Rosenthal. But it isn’t that bad of news for the Houston Astros fans, because Walker is a great player. Over the eight seasons, Walker was with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he snagged three consecutive Gold Gloves at first base. Plus, in 2023, he smashed 33 home runs and a career-high 103 RBIs, playing a crucial role in Arizona’s trip to the World Series. So, while the fans may be disappointed with first Kyle Tucker leaving and possibly now Bregman, they have much to look forward to.

Bregman to go to Boston Red Sox?

Alex Bregman’s name has been linked to several teams, but apart from the Astros, the names are the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Now, MLB insider Jon Morosi thinks that the Red Sox might have an edge over the Yankees. He shared on MLB Hot Stove, “Boston, yes, is a fit at second base or third, depending on how the infield is arranged. I get the sense that the Red Sox are more of a possibility than the New York Yankees at the moment.” As for the Yankees, they seem to be more focused on upgrading their first base, even though they did just get Cody Bellinger.

The Boston Red Sox are also eager to end their three-year playoff drought and have been aggressive this time around. They strengthened their pitching rotation by trading for Garrett Crochet. So adding Alex Bregman’s bat to the mix could give them the offensive spark they need. Plus, Bregman is also open to shifting to second base if the situation arises, making him great for Boston.

While getting Bregman will be expensive for Sox owner John Henry, he could still replace Tyler O’Neill’s bat after his move to Baltimore and set Boston in a good spot. So, do you think Bregman would move to the Reds next season? Let us know in the comments.