Houston Astros Manager Joe Espada is in a charade of pressure this off-season, and the signing of Alex Bregman is a major part of it. But with the holiday season rolling in, he took time off from the hustle to spend more time with his family. So, he, along with his wife Pam and daughters Eliana and Viviana, packed up and got ready for a 240-mile trike. They were going from Houston to Dallas because that’s where Espada’s family—his mother Miriam and father Dolores—stayed.

Espada enjoys these special days because, for the family, Thanksgiving is all the vibe. It’s a blend of both worlds—Puerto Rican and American. So, everything from pastries to sweet potato casserole and tres leches cake was on the menu. This time, however, Thanksgiving came with a twist—there was an unexpected guest at the table—Alex Bregman. Not in person, but in conversation, at least.

Alex Bregman’s surprise entry at the Espada household

For the Houston manager, any time he spends with his family is gold. His dad hasn’t been in the best of health for a few years now, so time spent with him is precious. Joe’s dad, despite his health, still made it to Minute Maid Park last year to see him manage the first game of his career. It was a monumental day for them, especially for his father, Dolores—he spent long hours taking Joe to his practices in Puerto Rico. Doroles is a big baseball fan, and given that, he couldn’t help but bring Alex Bregman’s topic to the table!

Espada mentioned, “It’s hard not to talk baseball with my dad, he wants to know the same questions I get asked from the fans. He wants to know, ‘Are we signing Breggy? Are we getting any starting pitching?’ It’s baseball [talk] for the first day, and after that, things kind of settle down.” It seems like Joe Espada can’t escape; not just the media and fans but also his family have questions about Alex Bregman, the No. 1 priority of the Houston Astros.

Dana Brown, in a recent podcast, mentioned, “We’re just trying to, you know, put our priorities, get our priorities straight, and so Bregman right now would be the priority.” But given that his contract rate has increased to $200 million, it remains to be seen what exactly happens. For now, Joe Espada and Dana Brown need to be vigilant.

The Astros need to fight to keep Alex Bregman

All eyes are mostly on Juan Soto, but the next big thing is Alex Bregman. The 30-year-old has been the cornerstone of the Houston Astros, success, and now that he is in the market, many teams have eyes on him. The Astros have reportedly offered him a $156 million deal already, but clearly, that won’t be enough, given sportswriter Ken Rosenthal mentioned before that Bregman is looking for anything north of $200 million. So now, the Astros have some competition!

Recently, MLB insider Robert Murray mentioned on The Baseball Insiders podcast, “Two teams that I think make plenty of sense for Bregman are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers.” Murray explained that for the Phillies, getting Bregman could hinge on trading Alec Bohm. While the Tigers can make a compelling case with a clear infield need. And manager AJ Hinch has a connection to Bregman from their Astros days.

But the biggest threat to the Houston Astros is probably the New York Yankees. While they are bent on Juan Soto, if things go south with this deal, their next turn may be to the Astros star. “The New York Yankees don’t re-sign Juan Soto; one backup plan floating around is signing free-agent first baseman Christian Walker, signing either Willy Adames or Alex Bregman to play third, and shifting Jazz Chisholm to second base,” mentioned US Today’s Bob Nightingale.

While it would be in the Astros’ best interest to sign Alex Bregman, given that he is a free agent, it’s difficult to say what happens ahead. Where do you think he will land? Let us know in the comments.