The Houston Astros’ star power could change dramatically next season. Third baseman Alex Bregman, a two-time All-Star and World Series winner, is about to enter free agency for the first time. Bregman might command a high salary because he is the best player available at his position.
Astros general manager Dana Brown stated that third base is his top objective this offseason, and that interactions with Bregman’s agent Scott Boras have been “as optimistic.” However, it is not guaranteed that Bregman will return to Houston. Bregman might get major attention elsewhere.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Philadelphia Phillies have placed All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm on the trade block. Passan writes that Bohm had a disappointing second half to the season and the Phillies are looking to make a splash after getting eliminated by the New York Mets in the NLDS.
That could open the door for the Phillies.
Passan’s ESPN colleague Buster Olney mentioned that a rival evaluator made a “most interesting prediction,” and that was the Phillies landing Bregman. Olney says that Bregman’s swing would translate well to Citizen’s Bank Park, has a strong defense as evidenced by his Gold Glove award won this past season, and he has plenty of playoff experience.
The most interesting prediction heard from a rival evaluator: The Phillies land Alex Bregman. His swing translates in that park, strong defense, lots of postseason scar tissue.
Adding Bregman to a roster already featuring Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and Kyle Schwarber would certainly make them a better team on paper.
This past season, Bregman recorded a .260 batting average, a .315 on-base percentage, a .453 slugging percentage, 26 home runs, 75 RBI, 79 runs, and 151 hits in 581 at-bats (143 games). Bregman also has a WAR of 4.1.
If the Astros were to lose out on re-signing Bregman, Bohm could be an interesting option for them. While yes, Bohm’s numbers in the second half were far from ideal, he was an All-Star for the first time in his career. Plus, the free-agent options at third base after Bregman are far from ideal.
In 143 games, Bohm recorded a .280 batting average, a .332 on-base percentage, a .448 slugging percentage, 15 home runs, 62 runs, 97 RBI, and 155 hits in 554 at-bats. Bohm also holds a 3.0 WAR.
Bregman to Philadelphia is certainly gaining some buzz. If the Astros are to lose out on him, wouldn’t it be something if they brought in Bohm? That’s something to think about, especially when free agent signings occur throughout the winter.
