“Astros Star Takes a Stand: Calls Out Front Office and Ownership Ahead of Pivotal Offseason!”
For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros have exited the MLB playoffs before reaching the American League Championship Series, marking the end of an impressive era for one of baseball’s great dynasties. With the season behind them, the Astros’ front office and ownership are under pressure from within the team.
In recent years, Houston has aimed to cut payroll while maintaining their competitiveness for another World Series title. However, the disappointment of this year’s postseason at home comes just as a critical offseason approaches, with several key Astros free agents set to enter the market.
These circumstances are what led Astros’ All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve, usually quite reserved, to urge the organization to re-sign Alex Bregman to a deserving contract.
“He has contributed so much to this organization. Now it’s time for us, as a team and as an organization, to give back and keep him here… We won’t be the same without him. In my opinion, there’s no way this is his last season here.”
Jose Altuve on the Astros needing to bring back Alex Bregman (H/T ESPN)
Houston recently finalized a contract extension for Altuve, agreeing to a $ 125 million deal that lasts through the 2029 MLB season. As one of the highest-paid players in MLB, Altuve is hopeful the organization will offer a similar deal to his longtime friend and teammate.
Houston Astros free agents in 2025 include Justin Verlander, Alex Bregman, Yusei Kiuchi, Kendall Graveman, Jason Heyward, Ryan Pressly (vesting option), Caleb Ferguson, Ben Gamel, and Hector Neris.
Bregman ended the season with a career-low OPS of .768 and the second-lowest OBP of his career at .313. However, the 30-year-old showed significant improvement toward the end of the season, achieving a slash line of .281/.326/.557, an OPS of .883, and a 146 wRC+ over the final two months.
It’s still uncertain if Houston’s management will receive approval from ownership to engage in a bidding war for Bregman. Losing the All-Star third baseman would significantly impact both the Astros’ batting order and their defense at third base. Additionally, Bregman’s departure could lead to frustration among fans and within the team, making this one of the major storylines of the offseason.