Yahoo Sports Jose Altuve says he'll change positions if it means Astros can bring back Alex Bregman
Jose Altuve has started 1,749 career games for the Houston Astros, and every single one of them saw him take the field at second base. He's willing to break that run if it means holding on to a longtime teammate.
The Astros star said Saturday that he would be willing to change positions to accommodate the return of Alex Bregman, one of the top MLB free agents this winter. From The Athletic's Chandler Rome:
“For Alex, I’d do whatever,” Altuve said during the team’s annual FanFest. “He’s one of the best players in the whole league, but he’s definitely one of the best players on the team. We want him to stay, so whatever I have to do for him to stay, I’m willing to do it.”
The return of Bregman, Yahoo Sports' No. 4 free agent, has been seen as a long shot in Houston for a while. He entered the offseason clearly looking for a nine-figure deal, which the Astros typically aren't in the business of giving. However, Rome and USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported earlier this week that the team has reengaged with the third baseman.
Bregman coming back at this point would be a bit awkward because Houston clearly has been conducting its offseason under the assumption that he was leaving. The team traded star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and got back infielder Isaac Paredes, who has played the majority of his games at third base.
The Astros also filled first base, another position Paredes has played, with a three-year, $60 million deal with Christian Walker, leaving them with a full infield of Walker, Altuve, Paredes and shortstop Jeremy Peña.
Paredes has also played second base in his career, and that's where the potential Altuve position change comes in. The Astros are lacking impact players in the outfield, so Altuve could theoretically move to left field while Paredes takes second and Bregman returns at third. It wouldn't be an ideal arrangement of talent, but it's probably the team's best option if they sign Bregman.
Per The Athletic, four other teams have interest in Bregman: the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers. Given that thus far he hasn't received the deal he wants, it seems possible that he'll take a short-term deal similar to what Matt Chapman did last year.
Bregman has played nine seasons with the Astros, accruing two All-Star nods, a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger and two World Series rings. If this is it for him and Houston, he will join the procession of impact players who have left the organization over the past four years, including Carlos Correa, George Springer and Gerrit Cole.
