How Latest Astros Trade May Hurt Red Sox’s Alex Bregman Chase
The Houston Astros have traded one of their best sluggers and now one of their best relievers this offseason, and the combination of those two moves … might be bad news for the Red Sox.
Houston over the weekend reportedly agreed to trade right-handed reliever Ryan Pressly to the Chicago Cubs. That reported deal comes a month after the two teams executed a separate blockbuster trade with the Astros sending left-hand power hitter Kyle Tucker to the North Side.
While the two deals weakened Houston’s big league talent pool, it does free up some money for an Astros team apparently looking to get its finances in order. It might also help Houston turn around and reinvest that money, and the most obvious way in which they could do that is by re-signing Alex Bregman.
Bregman is the best remaining hitter in free agency, but his market has been slower than he probably would have hoped. A handful of teams have reported interest in the LSU product, including the Red Sox. Bregman reportedly turned down a six-year, $156 million before hitting the market, and the longer he remains unsigned, the more a return to Houston looks like a possibility.
Now that the Astros have dumped Tucker’s salary (he’ll make $16.5 million in 2025) and a good chunk of the $14 million owed to Pressly, it should make it easier to find common ground with Bregman, especially if Bregman is having second thoughts about rejecting the original offer, which is reportedly how he feels.
If Houston and Bregman can find common ground, it might require some roster shuffling on the Astros’ part after the club acquired Isaac Paredes in the Tucker deal. That could even mean Jose Altuve moving off second base and moving to the outfield, a concession that Altuve is ready to make.
As for other suitors, like the Red Sox, it’s worth wondering whether increasing an offer would make a difference, assuming the Houston thing is legitimate. According to one report, it seems unlikely Boston would be willing to do that, as the Sox reportedly don’t want to go too long with their offer. The obvious pivot could be engaging the St. Louis Cardinals on trade talks for Nolan Arenado, but the Bregman situation probably needs resolving before that can happen.