Brown: 'Internal conversations' persist on Bregman, but reunion unlikely

HOUSTON ¨C Astros general manager Dana Brown appeared to close the door on a reunion with free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman on Tuesday, telling reporters at a media luncheon at Daikin Park that ¡°we lost [right fielder Kyle] Tucker and Bregman,¡± while discussing the additions of Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes.

When questioned by reporters moments later, Brown said the team was still having ¡°internal conversations¡± about Bregman, but said he hasn¡¯t had any recent conversations with Scott Boras, Bregman¡¯s agent. Tucker was traded to the Cubs in December.

¡°We¡¯re continuing to have internal conversations because he¡¯s still available,¡± Brown said about Bregman. ¡°We¡¯re just wondering when he¡¯s going to make a decision, but the fact he¡¯s available, we still have conversations about him.¡±

The Astros made Bregman a six-year, $156 million offer early in the offseason ¨C an offer which has remained on the table despite the Tucker deal that brought in Paredes from the Cubs and the three-year, $60 million contract given to Walker. Houston tried to trade for Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado in December, but Arenado exercised his no-trade clause. Days later, the Astros signed Walker and proclaimed at that time Paredes would be starter at third base.

A week away from the start of Spring Training, a reunion with Bregman appears like a long shot considering the Astros¡¯ payroll limitations ¨C they traded former All-Star closer Ryan Pressly last week to free up some money ¨C and their acquisition of Paredes to play third.

All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve said last month he¡¯d be willing to move to left field to make room for Bregman, and Altuve has been taking fly balls at Daikin Park for a couple of weeks.

¡°He was running down balls in the gap,¡± Brown said. ¡°He looked like he was having the time of his life. He looked like he was a little kid out there. His jumps off the bat were really good. With his foot speed, playing left field, I think he¡¯s got a chance to be really good. I like what I saw from a purely scouting standpoint.¡±

Brown said he would still like to add a left-handed bat to the outfield, but added the options are ¡°slim to none.¡±

¡°We¡¯re still working through it and grinding to get some left-handed at-bats in our outfield,¡± he said.

Bregman has been a core player on the Astros¡¯ run of success in the past decade, which culminated with World Series titles in 2017 and 2022. Last season, he slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs, won the Gold Glove Award at third base and was one of the club¡¯s biggest leaders.

Assuming Bregman doesn¡¯t return to Houston, the Astros will have lost four key players from the 2022 World Series championship team this winter ¨C Bregman, Tucker, Pressly and Justin Verlander, who signed with the Giants.