According to one MLB insider, if the Houston Astros lose Alex Bregman to free agency this winter, they would attempt to replace his bat with, perhaps, the greatest slugger on the market.
The Astros are a club worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks and months. After an unexpectedly slow start to the 2024 season. Houston fought back, winning another AL West title late in the season. It appeared that they were on track for another deep postseason run.
However, their season came to a rapid end when they were ousted in just two Wild Card Series games by the Detroit Tigers. Their 88-win season and being quickly bounced from the MLB playoffs shows the ‘Stros need to make changes if they hope to get back to being a serious World Series contender again.
However, they need to hold on to the top players on the roster and there is a very real chance Alex Bregman is playing elsewhere in 2025. The team great is allegedly looking for a deal for no less than $200 million in free agency. And that seems to be a number the organization is very unwilling to meet. Furthermore, young star Kyle Tucker is also nearing the end of his current contract.
If Houston loses one of their best players of the last decade this offseason, ESPN MLB insider David Schoenfield believes they will replace his bat in the lineup with a specific slugger from free agency.
Anthony Santander stats (2024): .235 AVG, .308 OBP, .506 SLG, .814 OPS, 44 HR, 102 RBI, 91 R
“[Anthony] Santander isn’t a top-10 free agent but this would be a ripple effect of losing Bregman. The Astros will need to replace that offense and don’t have any strong internal candidates, plus the outfield is thin beyond Tucker (aside from when Yordan Alvarez plays left field, but it’s time to just make him the full-time DH),” Schoenfield wrote.
“Santander would fit in nicely in left and the middle of the Houston lineup.”
Anthony Santander contract (Projection): Five years, $120 million
The Baltimore Orioles slugger has become one of the best power bats in the AL over the last few seasons. He had a career-high point in 2024 when he smashed 44 for the Os. The 30-year-old is in the middle of his prime and would certainly fill the power void in the Houston Astros lineup if they lost Bregman.
Furthermore, he is more likely to get a deal in the $100 to $120 million range this offseason. A number the club is much more comfortable shelling out this winter.
