The Astronauts can breathe a sigh of relief. The face of the Houston Astros, the iconic Jose Altuve has finally extended his contract with the franchise. While there was never any doubt regarding the continued presence of Altuve, the delay in getting to the deal did raise a few eyebrows. But all’s well that ends well, now if only Alex Bregman did the same. 

The fans are hopeful that the Astros will be able to bring Bregman back for the long haul as well. But the situation there is a little different than what it was with Altuve. While the icon has always made it clear that he wishes to end his career as an Astronaut, Bregman’s desire to test the market might make things a little muddled for the Astros. 

Alex Bregman looks to test the market amidst push from the Houston Astros

The moment it was revealed that Jose Altuve had agreed to a 5-year $125 million extension with the Astros, fans began to wonder whether Bregman was next. The 34-year-old Altuve has stated that he wants to play until he’s 40 and this extension stretches until his age 39-season. So as it stands Altuve has effectively decided to spend his entire career with the Astronauts. But as The Athletic reports, Bregman might not have similar ideas in mind.

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“Bregman will turn 30 next month and, though he’s said he’d welcome a return to Houston, hasn’t been anywhere near as bullish on that as his second baseman.” The Athletic reported. Later, they revealed how team owner Jim Crane had raised doubts over Bregman’s extension. 

Unlike Altuve, Bregman is still a 29-year-old. Last season he slashed .292/.363/.441 and hit 25 homers with 92 walks which was higher than his 87 strikeouts. While he isn’t at his MVP-calibre form of the 2018-19 season, Bregman nonetheless remains one of the best infielders in the league. The Scott Boras client has already signed a 6-year $100 million extension with the Astros in 2019. 

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As a result, speculations have been high that he and Boras might want to test the market. How high could his contract go?

What could be the potential deal for the slugger?

Manny Machado’s $350 million contract remains the biggest deal for a third baseman. Could Bregman reach that level? It’s unlikely, but if one knows Boras, he will try as hard as possible. It’s this expectation that has raised doubts over an extension. As The Athletic reported, “Unless Crane can reach that level, it’s difficult to envision another reunion in the cards.”

Could the Astros match these contracts? Before answering it one needs to remember the current TV rights situation for the Astros. They’ve created a new network but are still set to lose money for the next few years. With their revenue already under pressure, things are rather bleak for the Astronauts.

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