Astros Have Backup Plan at 3B if Bregman Bolts

The Houston Astros are still making every attempt to re-sign one of the faces of their franchise, Alex Bregman. But with the third baseman being one of the top free agent hitters on the market, they've got some serious competition.

According to insider Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic, the Astros have some backup plans should Bregman bolt.

The Houston Astros are continuing their efforts to re-sign Bregman, while also setting up contingencies. The team is staying in contact with (free agent slugger Willy) Adames, and has expressed interest in another free agent, Jorge Polanco, as a fallback option.

Another option that has been mentioned for the Astros is to pivot to a Nolan Arenado trade to replace Bregman at third base.

Adames is said to be able to land a free agent deal worth somewhere between $150-$200 million on a long-term contract. Arenado is still set to be paid $52 million over the final three years of his deal, as his offense continues to decline each year.

But all of this leads Rosenthal to ask, "In the case of Adames, if the Astros are going to spend that kind of money, why not invest it in Bregman, a face of their franchise? The same logic would apply to a possible trade for Arenado."

Polanco would not cost anywhere near as much, and he is coming off a disappointing season with the Seattle Mariners, with an OPS+ of just 96, with just 16 homers and 45 RBIs.

Bregman is still a strong defender at third, and should be a better offensive option than Arenado going forward, though Adames, based off his career year in 2024 (32 HR, 112 RBIs), would probably offer more power at the plate. He could also shift from shortstop to third.

In the end, it sounds like, using common sense, the Astros should likely still be staying with Bregman, even at a cost they might not be comfortable with. But they do have other options to pursue.