{"id":89340,"date":"2024-11-11T14:37:05","date_gmt":"2024-11-11T19:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=89340"},"modified":"2024-11-11T14:37:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-11T19:37:05","slug":"alex-bregman-free-agent-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2024\/11\/11\/alex-bregman-free-agent-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Consistent 30-Home Run Threat Seeks New Team"},"content":{"rendered":"

31-year-old third baseman Alex Bregman<\/a> is one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, for good reason. Bregman is coming off a season where he won his first Gold Glove Award, tying for first in Outs Above Average (six), tied for second in Defensive Runs Saved (six) and third in zone rating (.799). His defense is complemented by his consistent batting, with a 122 wRC+ that ranks him fifth among qualified third basemen over the last two seasons. Bregman, a cornerstone player on both Houston Astros World Series championship teams, is one of the top free-agents<\/a> on this year’s market. He is coming off a season in which he slashed .260\/.315\/.453 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI.<\/p>\n

Alex Bregman Free Agent Profile<\/h2>\n

Bregman’s breakout seasons in 2018-19 saw him average 36 home runs, 108 RBI and a .970 OPS, finishing in the top five of American League MVP voting in both years. He hasn’t reached those levels since then. Although, he remains one of the most productive third basemen in baseball. Bregman’s platform year got off to a slow start, batting .206 with four home runs and a .581 OPS through his first 51 games. However, he hit .288 with 22 home runs and a .862 OPS over his final 94 games.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, revealed at the GM meetings that multiple teams have inquired about his client’s willingness to move to second base<\/a>. Boras confirmed Bregman’s openness to the change, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today<\/a>. Extra versatility will make Bregman more appealing as a free agent as he could command more money. This versatility could increase Bregman’s appeal in free agency, potentially commanding more money. Notably, fellow free agent Willy Adames<\/a> has also expressed willingness to adapt his position.<\/p>\n

Bregman’s flexibility is bolstered by his experience at second base in his first three MLB seasons and collegiate experience at shortstop. This adaptability, combined with his consistent production, makes him an attractive asset in the free agent market.<\/p>\n

Potential Suitors<\/h3>\n

Houston Astros<\/h4>\n

Houston is keen on re-signing Bregman. However, their focus could soon pivot toward extending the contract of outfielder Kyle Tucker<\/a>. Despite this potential shift in priorities, Astros general manager Dana Brown recently expressed optimism in a conversation with Jon Heyman from the New York Post<\/a>, stating that the team boasts “a really good chance” of bringing Bregman back into the fold. The Astros have engaged in discussions about securing Bregman\u2019s future in Houston, but it’s important to note that he is likely to attract considerable interest from various teams looking to enhance their rosters.<\/p>\n

New York Mets<\/h4>\n

The Mets are reportedly interested in signing Bregman, particularly if they fail to re-sign Pete Alonso<\/a>. With Bregman’s potent bat, the Mets could bolster their lineup and better compete in the National League East. Plus, with their considerable financial resources, they have the flexibility to make it happen. If signed, Bregman would likely assume third base duties, displacing Mark Vientos<\/a> to first. However, Bregman’s willingness to play second base offers alternative lineup options, potentially allowing Jeff McNeil<\/a> to shift from second base to the outfield in 2025.<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers<\/h4>\n

The Tigers will look to make big moves in free agency, and there’s one player with some ties to the team who could be an upgrade. Bregman is a battle-tested veteran who knows Tigers manager A.J. Hinch<\/a> from their days in Houston. He would give Detroit a needed right-handed middle-of-the-order presence, not to mention a defensive upgrade. Despite having a promising prospect in Jace Jung<\/a> for third base, Bregman’s willingness to switch positions opens up possibilities for Detroit’s lineup. The Tigers will be eyeing Bregman as a solution.<\/p>\n

Market Value and Projections<\/h3>\n

Sportrac anticipates that Alex Bregman will secure a substantial six-year contract valued at approximately $165 million. This projected deal sets a new benchmark in the league, particularly following Matt Chapman<\/a>\u2019s recent six-year, $151 million extension<\/a> with the San Francisco Giants, which establishes a financial floor for similar contracts going forward. If accurate, Bregman’s projected deal would solidify his status as one of baseball’s highest-paid players, cementing his value as a versatile and productive infielder.<\/p>\n

Main Photo: \u00a9 Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

31-year-old third baseman Alex Bregman is one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, for good reason. Bregman is coming off a season where he won his first Gold Glove Award, tying for first in Outs Above Average (six), tied for second in Defensive Runs Saved (six) and third in zone rating (.799). His […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3686,"featured_media":89347,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1071],"tags":[1156,85,246,2257,2319,1378,164,2402],"class_list":["post-89340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-alex-bregman","tag-detroit-tigers","tag-houston-astros","tag-jeff-mcneil","tag-kyle-tucker","tag-mark-vientos","tag-new-york-mets","tag-pete-alonso"],"modified_by":"Matt Graves","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3686"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89340"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89340\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89347"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}