The Houston Astros have one of the most prominent free agents in the league available this offseason in Alex Bregman, and they will have to fend off a slew of suitors in order to keep him.
His free agency choice will have an impact on not only the Astros’ approach for the remainder of the offseason, but also on every team that believes they have a strong chance of acquiring him.
As a key player for a team that has dominated the American League for the better part of a decade, he is coming off his first Gold Glove season, which adds to his offensive power.
Because of that, it’s understandable why Bregman will be one of the most sought after players this winter.
Houston and general manager Dana Brown have made clear their desire to keep the franchise legend, but there are obvious hurdles to clear and he may receive an offer they aren’t willing to match.
If that were to happen, it would leave a clear hole at the hot corner, so the Astros would have to find a replacement.
If they want to get a little bit bold, there may be someone available who could provide elite defense and above average offense to this championship-ready team.
Will Leitch of MLB.com wrote about the possibility of St. Louis Cardinals 10-time Gold Glove-winning veteran superstar Nolan Arenado being available for trade as they look to be starting a rebuild.
“The Mariners would love him. The Dodgers have tried to trade for him in the past. The Astros could use him, if they don’t bring back Alex Bregman. The Yankees could, too, if they move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second base or center field,” Leitch wrote.
“Arenado is not even that expensive, with three years and $74 million remaining on his contract (not counting the portion the Rockies are paying). Planning on trying to win a World Series the next three seasons? Arenado certainly can help with that.”
Arenado has started to take a bit of a step back on the offensive side of the ball and will be 34 years old by the start of the 2025 season, but he is still one of the best in the game.
By winning 10 consecutive Gold Glove awards from his rookie year until 2022, along with being named an All-Star eight times, he has a resume as strong as anyone else in baseball.
If Houston does indeed lose Bregman, it’s worth monitoring the potential market for Arenado.
