The Houston Astros battled through a slow start to secure their eighth consecutive postseason appearance this year. However, their seven-year streak of reaching the ALCS came to an end with an early exit in the AL Wild Card Series. With 2025 on the horizon, could the Astros make a big splash in free agency to strengthen their roster? According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Astros might be ready to spend $297.5 million to sign two key sluggers. Bowden predicts that Houston will bring back longtime third baseman Alex Bregman with a seven-year, $185.5 million deal, keeping him with the only team he’s ever played for. He also expects general manager Dana Brown to sign outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger to a four-year, $112 million contract after Bellinger opts out of his deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Bregman’s return would secure the third base position for the long term, a role he has held since making his debut with the Astros in 2016. Over the past three seasons, the 30-year-old has maintained consistent production, hitting .260/.349/.449, with averages of 25 home runs, 32 doubles, 89 RBIs, 92 runs scored, and 4.5 bWAR annually.
Adding Bellinger would address a significant issue the Astros faced at first base in 2024, where their first basemen combined for a .651 OPS—the fourth-worst in the league. Bellinger posted a .751 OPS with the Cubs in 2024, and his numbers have improved to .815 since 2023, making him an ideal candidate to fill the void at first base.
