Breaking: Houston Targets Defensive Legend if Superstar Departs

The Houston Astros are entering an offseason in which there is one very big question looming over what the team will do for the rest of the free agency and acquisition period.

As Houston tries to re-tool following their earliest exit in a postseason in seven years and the end of a run of American League dominance, one of the key players from throughout their reign of success is about to become a free agent in third baseman Alex Bregman. Over the years, Bregman has become one of the faces of the organization and a fan favorite after helping the Astros to four World Series appearances and two titles.

But all good things must come to an end, and if Houston does elect to let the franchise cornerstone walk away and sign a big money deal elsewhere, someone is going to have to play third base.

While letting Bregman go would probably be a sign that there won’t be many big swings this winter and the focus on building for the future, perhaps a replacement could slide right in and offer similar production.

John Denton of MLB.com named the Astros as a potential candidate to watch for if the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals elect to trade perennial All-Star and ten-time Gold Glove winning third baseman Nolan Arenado.

“Arenado, 33, has mentioned repeatedly that he feels the clock on his career ticking, and he wants to be on a team that can compete for a World Series,” Denton wrote. “Could he be a cheaper option for the Astros if they lose free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, or would he consider the Dodgers, Angels, D-backs or Mariners?”

Arenado is a 12-year veteran and has been one of the best in the league at the hot corner for a very long time now. He will have three years remaining under team control with an average annual value of just over $17 million, likely significantly less than Bregman will end up signing and essentially a shorter term contract.

Arenado is immediately a massive defensive upgrade from Bregman, having won ten consecutive Gold Gloves between his rookie year in 2013 through 2022.

The question is how much he will have left in the tank, turning 34 by the time the 2025 season begins. But with numbers that have remained steadily solid, Arenado would likely be able to produce for Houston throughout the term of the remaining contract.

While overall there is likely less value than Bregman, Arenado would certainly be a nice consolation prize that fans would be happy with.