HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- As the Detroit Tigers celebrated on the infield they've shared for the last nine seasons, Jose Altuve turned to Alex Bregman and told him Wednesday's 5-2 loss would not be the final time they'll wear the same uniform.
The five-year, $100 million contract Bregman signed before the 2019 season has reached its conclusion, setting him up to hit the open market this winter.
"I don't want to get to the idea of thinking about (this being the) last game with Breggy," Altuve said. "I'm pretty confident that he's going to be our third baseman next year, we have to (re-sign him). We're not going to be the same organization without him."
Altuve watched as the Astros allowed All-Star teammates Dallas Keuchel, Gerrit Cole, George Springer, Carlos Correa, and Justin Verlander (who was eventually re-acquired) to leave for in free agency, but the team's longest tenured player is confident things will be different with Bregman.
"He means a lot," Altuve said. "He gave a lot to this organization, so now it's time for us to, as a team, this organization, to pay him back and make him stay here."
MLB.com ranked Bregman as the best third baseman available on the free agent market when free agency begins in November, and the fourth best player overall. He maintained all season that he hasn't thought about what the future may hold and continued that stance on Wednesday.
"I haven't even really had the chance to process this," Bregman said. "I was planning on being here tomorrow, so just letting Scott (Boras) handle that this offseason. I haven't even really thought about it. I was being serious when I said that earlier during the year. I wanted to focus on baseball and competing and winning."
Bregman's season went much like the Astros'. His OPS dropped to .589 after an 0-for-4 night in Seattle on May 27, but slashed .288/.338./.524 over his last 94 games while playing elite defense, despite dealing with a balky elbow that forced him to miss time in August and September.
"Just the ultimate teammate," Justin Verlander said. "He sees everything. He's always doing whatever he can to help everybody around him get better.
"Beginning of this year, obviously, he was not the hitter he wanted to be, but shows up on defense every single play, and shows up here in the locker room every single day ready to put in his work and also help those around him. Honestly, can't say enough great things about him."
With the retirement of Michael Brantley and departure of Martín Maldonado, Bregman became the Astros leader in 2024 and addressed the team in the clubhouse after Wednesday's loss. He told reporters he'd like to return to the franchise that drafted him second overall in 2015, but in order to do so, the Astros will have to dive into uncharted waters.
In September, the Giants inked third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million contract. Chapman had a better season than Bregman in 2024, but he's a year older and Bregman has had the better career.
Six years to Yordan Alvarez matches the longest contract the Astros have handed out during the Jim Crane era, while $151 million is the dollar figure Jose Altuve signed for when his contract was extended in 2018 is the largest dollar figure. The Astros will have to eclipse both to get a deal done with Bregman.
"I'm confident Breggy is going to stay here," Altuve said. "He's our leader. He's probably one of the best players in franchise history, so he deserves to stay here."
