The Houston Astros are stealing all the MLB spotlight this week. They have been on top of all the headlines everywhere. The reason? Alex Bregman. Well, the burning question is looming over the fans’ heads—will Alex Bregman come back? Will he be rocking the Astros uniform next season? Or is it the end of an era for the star and his future in Houston? Given the rage, Astros General Manager Dana Brown weighed in on the topic. He didn’t shut the door on a possible reunion. However, he also didn’t say enough that scream, “Bergman is staying” for the fans to believe. But it turns out there is still hope.

Now enters a new character in this story—Jorge Polanco. Yes, Ken Rosenthal mentioned that Houston is already exploring their backup plan in case Bregman decides to head elsewhere. The Astros are eyeing the former all-star as a potential replacement. And given that Bregman and Scott Boras don’t seem to want to adjust or move away from the $180 million ask it makes sense.

Houston Astros have found an Alex Bregman replacement

Is Polanco coming in as Bregman 2.0 in the lineup? Not exactly. Even Rosenthal mentioned that Polanco isn’t Bregman. But he is of course no slouch either. His appeal lies in his vitality. Rosenthal said, “Jorge Polanco is a switch hitter. He is a guy who can play first, second, third, and possibly the outfield.” Rosenthal in fact put the question forth of who is ready even to pay $180 million for Bregman. And it just sums up the situation perfectly.

Now let’s address the elephant in the room— 2024 wasn’t a great year for Jorge Polanco. In 118 games with the Seattle Mariners, the one-time All-Star hit a career-low of .213 with 16 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a .651 OPS. It’s not great for sure, but it’s not the end of the world numbers. So the deal is—getting Polanco would be a calculated risk. But for sure it’s a high-reward signing for the Astros. His numbers last season don’t pop, but his track record says there is potential to be tapped into. He also had a knee issue, but that’s all good, and he has gotten the clearance from the doctor. So he might just bounce back beautifully in a new lineup.

In the end, baseball is also a business, and sometimes a team has to let players go even if they don’t want to. And the Houston Astros are getting an affordable and impactful player with Polanco at $13.7 million. Which, by the way, won’t let them cross the luxury threshold. What’s to lose except Alex Bregman?

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A mystery team is interested in Bregman!

The Houston Astros had offered Alex Bregman a six-year, $156 million deal before. But Bregman, according to insider Jon Heyman, has rejected the offer because the proposed $26 million per season is a notable drop from his current $28.5 million annual salary. By the way, the Astros are going after Bregman; it does seem they still value him. But the same cannot be said about the other party, and Bregman seems to be holding out for something better.

Now Heyman mentioned several teams are on the run from the Boston Red Sox to the Detroit Tigers. But also talked about a mystery team that is going to make a competitive offer with six years and a first-year opt-out clause. However, the financial details are still under wraps. Meanwhile, the team has also cleared some of their payroll by trading Ryan Pressly to the Cubs.

It’s unclear if that money will go directly into use for getting Alex Bregman back. But it’s tough to ignore the sheer timing. The drama is only intensifying right now. And well, given that Bregman rejected the Astros offer, it must have been the reason they now have a replacement in place. Do you still think Bregman will make a comeback in Houston? Let us know in the comments.