Most Houston fans had written off Bregman returning to Houston; however, the last few weeks have given fans some hope that Dana Brown can get a deal done. Although I hope this happens, it probably won’t, as there always seems to be a team willing to shell out an extra few million dollars a year, and it probably will not be the Astros. To help cope with the expected loss, here are three reasons why the Astros are better off letting him walk anyway.
1. Age and injury history:
Bregman is on the wrong side of 30, and it is almost certain that his best days are behind him, it is only a question of how steep the decline will be. Yes, AB has been healthy for the last three years; however, the wear and tear he incurred in 2020 and 2021 remains. Also, his offensive production has steadily decreased over the past three years.
Bregman may still be a solid player for the next five years, but the Astros may feel that signing a player with his profile is not the best use of their resources. Luckily, they have some options coming through the pipeline.
2. One of their best prospects can play in the infield
Brice Matthews was Houston’s first-round pick in 2023 and has performed well in the minors so far. Of course, he is probably still a season away from being MLB-ready, but he has shown that he has the potential to hit and play an infield position. If Dana Brown thinks that Matthews can be an average second baseman/third baseman in 2026, why sign Bregman to a long-term contract?
I know this is wish-casting… I know you shouldn’t make roster decisions based on a fringe top-100 prospect who will not play in the majors for at least another year… but this is not that different from when Pena replaced Correa?
3. Save money
We all wish Crane was a Saudi oil prince or a tech bro. However, he is poor by MLB owner standards. So, every dollar he spends on Bregman is a dollar he will not spend on another player. I would rather just sign Bregman and let a guy like Valdez leave, but signing Bregman certainly reduces the franchise’s payroll flexibility in the future.
Like I said, I would love to sign Bregman, but it probably will not happen. We may as well look at this on the bright side. What do you all think? Comment below!