Astros could lose All-Star, Silver Slugger to Yankees in free agency, per insider

The Houston Astros are a smart organization, and that's why they've done what they've done over the past decade.

Two World Series championships. Seven straight American League Championship Series appearances. And all the while, the core group of players has been remarkably consistent from year to year.

However, the Astros don't keep everyone around forever. In 2021, George Springer walked to the Toronto Blue Jays. The following winter, Carlos Correa became a Minnesota Twin. The Astros are certainly willing to spend, but they've become selective about who they keep around.

That leaves the future of two-time All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman in doubt. After signing Bregman to an extension that extended him beyond his arbitration years, the 30-year-old will finally become a free agent for the first time this winter.

Some Astros fans might want him to stay; some might want him to go if he's going to command a hefty price tag. But insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic proposed the notion that he could end up in the one place Astros fans wouldn't want to see him next season.

"Bregman, who at 30 is a year younger than Chapman, now becomes the most prominent free-agent third baseman available," Rosenthal said on Thursday. "Don’t forget the New York Yankees, who could move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second in place of Gleyber Torres, opening up third."

Bregman isn't having his best season in 2024, but he's turned it on in the second half and still has a very solid 115 OPS+. He figures to be a great fit for the Yankees--and a number of other teams--if they can fit him into their payroll situation.

The Astros and Yankees have a long history of mutual hostility at this point. They have met in three ALCS in the past decade, with the Astros winning all three. And Yankees fans, especially those that feel miffed about the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, hate the Astros with a passion.

It's likely Yankees fans would forgive Bregman quickly if he joined forces with their favorite team, but what about the Astros fans who have supported him his whole career? It would certainly add yet another layer of animosity to the rivalry.

The only question that remains: Would the Yankees pursue Bregman if they already knew they were keeping Juan Soto? Because if they could somehow fit both of those stars into their lineup next season, they'd give pitchers cold sweats the night before every game.

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