HOUSTON — Contract negotiations “stalled” between the Houston Astros and free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman, prompting general manager Dana Brown to pivot and remake his infield without a franchise cornerstone.
Signing first baseman Christian Walker on Monday all but eliminated any chance of a reunion with Bregman, the second overall pick in 2015 who helped propel Houston’s ascension into an American League force.
Brown did not answer whether the Astros increased their original offer to Bregman, which MLB.com and USA Today reported was for six years and around $156 million.
Astros owner Jim Crane has never guaranteed a player more than $151 million, nor has he given a contract longer than six years.
“Over time, teams learn if you’re running from leadership and talent, you’re running from the ultimate goal,” Bregman’s agent, Scott Boras, told The Athletic on Monday night.
Brown declined to specify the nature of the team’s negotiations with Boras and Bregman. Given the money and years being discussed, it stands to reason that Crane had at least some involvement.
In his last public comments in November, Crane said he had spoken to Boras once, but “Dana’s been handling it.” During the same interview, Crane acknowledged “a very high percentage” of long-term contracts “normally don’t work.”
“I won’t get into specifics but I feel like the negotiations stalled,” Brown said Monday afternoon after the Astros introduced Walker. “I feel like we made a really competitive offer and showed that we wanted him back. But we had to pursue other options. We couldn’t just sit there.”
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVE:
We have signed 1B Christian Walker to a three-year contract.
— Houston Astros (@astros) December 23, 2024
The Astros had already acquired Isaac Paredes from the Chicago Cubs as part of the return for Kyle Tucker, but did so with the understanding that Paredes could play either first base or third base, according to Brown.
An ill-fated attempt to acquire St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado left Brown and the Astros with scant options — including initiating a reunion with Bregman.
Brown and his baseball operations team opted for Walker, a 34-year-old defensive wizard with an impact bat who is comfortable taking the sort of contract Crane is prone to give.
Of the team’s last 13 free-agent deals, only one has exceeded three years — Josh Hader’s five-year, $95 million contract that remains the largest free-agent contract of Crane’s ownership tenure.
Walker said he and his wife, Amanda, had the Astros among an initial list of teams they’d wanted to explore when free agency began. According to Walker, the deal “came together quick” — another signal of Brown’s instant pivot following the failed Arenado trade.
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Signing Christian Walker signals an end to the Alex Bregman era in Houston
“They were circling. This was my first time going through free agency, so I didn’t really know what to expect,” Walker said. “Circling, circling, circling and it’s real interest and it happens quick. We had some momentum. We wanted to get it done, they wanted to get it done. It was a no-brainer.”
Both Walker and Paredes are expected to hit within the top five spots in Houston’s batting order, according to Brown. The bullish general manager maintained he “(feels) strongly we’re going to be picked to win the division” even after trading Tucker and walking away from negotiations with Bregman.
Both moves are a departure from the Astros’ standard operating procedure. Failing to retain Bregman specifically could cause some frustration for Jose Altuve, who pleaded with Crane and the front office throughout September and October to retain a player that — according to Altuve — “made this entire organization better than where we actually were before him.”
“I think the team understands that we made him a competitive offer,” Brown said. “I really think the guys understand that. I think the guys in that clubhouse understand that, look, this is a business as well. We worked to be competitive. We owe it to the team to pursue other options when things stall. We feel like we’re still a really good team with these additions this offseason.”
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(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
