The Houston Astros are reportedly offering Alex Bregman a massive long-term contract

All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman has a six-year, $156 million contract offer on the table from the Houston Astros, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reported Thursday.

That number is consistent with a recent report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, who said the Astros would “love” to bring Bregman back to that number. However, the 30-year-old third baseman has yet to agree as he is reportedly seeking a contract worth over $200 million.

According to McTaggart, such a high guarantee would likely eliminate the Astros from the running for Bregman’s services. The Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies are among the other teams that have been linked to the veteran infielder in recent weeks, although it remains to be seen which of them might be willing to pay Bregman’s asking price.

MLB Trade Rumors and The Athletic both predicted earlier in the offseason that Bregman would get a seven-year deal, with the former projecting a payday of $182 million and the latter reaching $189 million. Spotrac, on the other hand, put its market value at $120 million over four years.

The Astros signed Bregman to a five-year, $100 million contract in March 2019. That voided his final three years of arbitration and forced him to make $61 million between 2023 and 2024, rather than making him a free agent in November 2022.

Bregman was just fifth in AL MVP voting when he signed that extension, and he immediately fulfilled the deal by finishing second in 2019. He scored. .291 with an OPS of .970 between those two seasons, averaging 36 home runs, 44 doubles, 108 RBI, eight stolen bases and a WAR of 8.4 in that short span.

However, the COVID-shortened 2020 season marked a step backwards for Bregman and he hasn’t been the same since. Between 2021 and 2024, Bregman hit .262 with a .795 OPS, averaged 22 home runs, 28 doubles, 80 RBI, two stolen bases and a WAR of 3.9 per year.

Bregman hit .260 with 26 home runs, 75 RBI, a .768 OPS and a .260 WAR in 2024. He finally won his first career Gold Glove after previously falling short as a finalist his last three times.

Houston has been able to tolerate dropping franchise cornerstones for big free-agent deals in the past, with McTaggart citing Carlos Correa, George Springer and Gerrit Cole as prime examples. However, the Astros failed to reach the ALCS this year for the first time since 2016, suggesting their dynasty may be on its last legs.

The Astros’ front office can either pay Bregman to keep the core in sync for as long as possible — they signed second baseman Jose Altuve to a five-year extension back in February — or they can find another path forward. McTaggart mentioned third baseman Jorge Polanco or first baseman Christian Walker as potential backup plans in free agency should Bregman move elsewhere.

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