Houston Astros

Jose Altuve's idea took a mere six innings to pay off.

Altuve hit second in the Houston Astros' order in Monday's game against the Detroit Tigers at his own request, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Rome noted it was the first time since June 2023 that the nine-time All-Star started anywhere except for leadoff, and he did so because he asked to be moved out of the spot.

Manager Joe Espada inserted Jeremy Peña at leadoff in an effort to shake things up for a struggling offense.

"My at-bats haven't been really good or the way I want it lately," Altuve said. "Maybe hitting with him on base or whoever on base will help me get to the point I want to."

That was quite prescient, as Peña was on base when Altuve launched a two-run homer in the sixth inning of Monday's contest to give the Astros the lead.

It was a much-needed boost for a franchise player who started the game in a 9-for-50 slump.

Altuve also joked that moving from the leadoff spot gives him more time to catch his breath after running in from his new position in left field.

"I just need like 10 more seconds," he said.

"I'm here to do whatever Joe tells me to do and whatever the team needs (from) me. They needed me in left field some games. They need me at second some games. I'll be there. I think that extra 30 seconds coming from left is going to make me feel better at home plate."

Houston is a solid-but-unspectacular 14-13 on the season and 1.5 games back of the Seattle Mariners in the early American League West standings. Having Altuve return to his normal form is the best way to close that gap, and he showed what he was capable of from a new spot in the lineup Monday.

The Houston Astros added a new look to their collection of uniforms for the 2025 MLB season.

On Wednesday, the Astros gave fans a first taste of their new City Connect uniforms for the upcoming campaign with a video and a set of photos on social media:

The City Connect uniforms stem from a partnership between MLB and Nike that dates back to 2021. The alternative threads gave teams the opportunity to recognize their home city's culture while branching out from their usual uniform colors.

The Astros previously released their Space City uniforms in 2022, but contracts between Nike and MLB teams ran for three years and gave the franchises the option to change their City Connect uniforms. Houston retired the Space City attire at the end of the 2024 campaign to pave the way for a fresh look, which was finally unveiled on Wednesday.

The Astros are coming off an 88-73 finish to the 2024 season, which earned them their fourth straight AL West title. However, Houston was swept in the AL Wild Card Series by the Detroit Tigers, marking the first time in eight years that the team failed to win a single postseason series.

The 2025 campaign will look a little different for the Astros after some of their key pieces went elsewhere this offseason. Star third baseman Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox on a massive three-year, $120 million deal. Outfielder Kyle Tucker, who had been selected to each of the last three All-Star Games, was traded to the Chicago Cubs in December.

Still, star shortstop Jose Altuve will be back to lead the new-look Astros on their quest to make it back to the World Series for the first time since their title win in 2022.

After a stellar nine-year career with the Houston Astros, third baseman Alex Bregman has moved onto the Boston Red Sox on a three-year, $120 million deal.

As he moved onto his next chapter, Bregman offered his sincere gratitude to the city of Houston, his former organization and Astros fans in a heartfelt message posted on his Instagram Friday.

Bregman excelled in Houston, winning a pair of World Series titles and making two All-Star Games.

The one-time Gold Glover and one-time Silver Slugger finished top five in the American League MVP race in 2018 and 2019, finishing runner-up to Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout in the latter year despite his MLB-leading 8.9 WAR, per Baseball-Reference.

In nine years, Bregman hit .272 (.848 OPS) with 191 home runs and 663 RBI. He also posted a 132 OPS+ and amassed a 39.6 WAR.

It was a great stint in town, especially after helping deliver the franchise's first and second World Series victories. He's moved to Boston now, but not before expressing a big thank you to Houston on the way out.

The list of teams for one of the top remaining free agents is reportedly getting smaller.

Per ESPN's Buster Olney, Alex Bregman is "likely to land with" the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs or Detroit Tigers "soon." Bregman has spent his entire eight-year MLB career with the Houston Astros, and the organization is "skeptical he'll return to Houston," according to Olney.

Bregman reportedly declined a six-year deal worth around $156 million from Houston earlier this offseason as he was seeking a contract worth roughly $200 million.

Even after Bregman rejected that deal in December, the Astros believed they were still in the mix. USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported in January that Houston was "keeping the door ajar for" the 30-year-old to re-sign with the Astros.

The Athletic's Chandler Rome also reported in January that Bregman had re-engaged in contract talks with his former squad.

The tone regarding Bregman changed recently, however. Rome reported last week that Astros general manager Dana Brown said at the team's annual luncheon that Houston "lost Bregman" while referring to the third baseman in the past tense several times.

According to Rome, Brown said the Astros were "continuing to have internal conversations because he's still available," though he added that he hadn't recently spoken to Bregman's agent, Scott Boras.

With Brown subtly indicating that Bregman won't return to the Astros, the focus shifts to where he will end up.

Olney noted that joining the Red Sox would likely mean shifting to the middle infield. He added that if he signs with Chicago, it will be "likely on a short-term" contract.

Signing with the Tigers would allow Bregman to play for a team ready to compete this year. Detroit is coming off an 86-76 season in which it reached the ALDS and will bring back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Adding a player like Bregman could give the Tigers enough to make a push for the World Series.

Bregman, a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the Astros, had 26 home runs, 75 RBI and slashed .260/.315/.453 in 2024. He also won the first Gold Glove Award of his career.

Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown gave a definitive indication that free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman won't be returning to the team this offseason.

Per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Brown said during the Astros' annual media luncheon that the team "lost Bregman" and twice spoke about him in the past tense.

Brown added that Houston is still having "internal conversations" about Bregman, but he hasn't had any recent discussions with agent Scott Boras.

Bregman has spent his entire career with the Astros since making his major league debut in 2016. He became one of the faces of the franchise, earning back-to-back All-Star selections in 2018 and 2019 and helping lead Houston to two World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.

In 2024, Bregman played in 145 games and hit .260 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI. He earned his first career Gold Glove Award for his production at third base.

Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported that the Detroit Tigers "are still interested in Bregman after signing right-hander Jack Flaherty to a two-year, $35 million contract" on Monday.

Petzold named the Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs as the other teams "involved in the Bregman sweepstakes," though he noted that the Tigers "have conducted their offseason moves around their interest in signing Bregman, as they declined to upgrade the offense with other notable right-handed hitters."

It appears that Houston will have a new third baseman for the first time in 10 years, as Bregman has multiple viable suitors who appear motivated to compete for his services.

Ryan Pressly will suit up for the Chicago Cubs this year after spending seven seasons with the Houston Astros.

Per The Athletic's Chandler Rome, Pressly's exit came after a severed relationship between the relief pitcher and Astros general manager Dana Brown. Brown said that when Houston signed Josh Hader last offseason, which moved Pressly from his role as a closer, it "fractured" Pressly and Brown's relationship.

"Any time you take a major-league player out of a role where they feel comfortable, it's going to fracture your relationship some," Brown said.

Rome noted that Brown put Pressly on the trade block earlier this winter in part "because of their broken relationship."

According to Rome, Brown did not feel like trading Pressly was his only option, praising the veteran for his willingness to take on a role he didn't want.

"Pressly has been a true professional. He accepted the role even though he felt like he still could close. I know he's going to get the opportunity to close in Chicago," Brown said. "I felt like we had some extra relievers, and if this is an opportunity where we could free up some money and build for the future. I thought this was that opportunity."

Pressly fared well as Houston's closer from 2020 to 2023, recording 71 saves and keeping his ERA at 3.58 or lower during that stretch. He had a career-high 33 saves in 2022 and had one of the best ERAs of his career in 2021 at 2.25.

Pressly took on a setup role last season, recording four saves and a 3.49 ERA in 59 appearances.

In Hader's first season with the Astros in 2024, he had 34 saves and a 3.80 ERA across 71 appearances.

Houston signed Hader with the intention of bolstering the back of its bullpen, even if that meant pushing Pressly out of the role he wanted to be in most.

"You're moving a guy out of position who felt like he didn't deserve to lose his job because you acquired another elite closer like Hader," Brown said, per Rome. "The whole purpose in doing all that was to really lock down the back-end. I know in his heart of hearts he wanted to close. We've had conversations about it. I would definitely say things were different, but we kept it professional and we got through it."

While Pressly had to part ways with the team he helped lead to three World Series appearances and one championship, he'll almost certainly get the chance to return to a closer role in Chicago.

As the Houston Astros work to re-sign Alex Bregman, they are also showing "strong interest" in other options, including veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, sources told The Athletic's Chandler Rome and Ken Rosenthal.

The Astros are reportedly favoring Polanco as a signing target, with no significant progress being made in negotiations to re-sign Bregman.

After the Astros traded Ryan Pressly to shed the majority of his $14 million contract, Bregman's decision remains uncertain, with five other teams reportedly still in the mix for his services.

Enter Polanco, the versatile Swiss Army knife infielder who has played shortstop, second base and third base since entering the league. The Astros are reportedly eyeing him for a potential move to left field should he sign, per Rome and Rosenthal.

The infielder's switch-hitting ability would also bring balance to the Astros' heavily right-handed lineup.

Polanco spent his first 10 MLB seasons with the Minnesota Twins, where he posted a .269 batting average with 447 RBI and 112 home runs. In his lone season with the Seattle Mariners, he recorded a .213 batting average with 45 RBI and 16 home runs over 118 games.

The Mariners wrapped up last season with an 85-77 record, finishing second in the AL West. However, they opted to decline Polanco's $12 million option, instead choosing a $750,000 buyout that made him a free agent.

The 31-year-old battled knee issues for much of last season, which significantly impacted his production, particularly from the left side of the plate, resulting in a career-low .651 OPS. His playing time also took a hit as a result. However, Polanco showed signs of improvement after the 2024 All-Star Break, boosting his OPS to .724 and hitting 11 of his 16 home runs over the final 63 games, per MLB.com's Daniel Kramer.

Polanco underwent left knee surgery in October to resolve the problem. According to his orthopedic surgeon, Polanco is expected to be "100 percent and fully recovered" by the start of the season, with "no restrictions during spring training," per Rome and Rosenthal.

Jose Altuve says he is willing to move out of the infield in 2025 if it means bringing Alex Bregman back to Houston.

"We haven't talked about it, but for Alex, I'd do whatever," Altuve said Saturday when asked if he had discussed the potential position change with Astros manager Joe Espada (h/t Our Esquina's Lorenzo Delgado.)

Altuve continued: "He's one of the best players in the whole league, but he's definitely one of the best players on the team. So, we want him to stay. So whatever I have to do for him to stay, I'm willing to do it."

When asked specifically if he would be willing to play outfield, Altuve answered, "I'll be willing to do everything if he stays."

When asked if he'd ever played outfield before, Altuve said, "Have you seen me?"

The 5-foot-6 career infielder continued: "I want to win, and he's going to be a guy that's going to make this team better. We have a better chance to win a championship with him. That's my answer. I'm willing to do whatever for him to stay."

The Astros offered Bregman a six-year, $156 million deal earlier this offseason, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Bregman didn't accept the offer, and the team appeared to move on when they filled their infield by trading for Isaac Paredes and signing Christian Walker.

But McTaggart reported Saturday that a source says the Astros "wouldn't say 'no'" if Bregman now expressed interest in that same offer.

Astros general manager Dana Brown meanwhile said Saturday the door was still "cracked" for Bregman to come back to Houston:

If Altuve moves to left field, and Paredes agrees to move from third base, the Astros could conceivably fit Bregman back into the infield. Those moves may be part of why Brown called a potential Bregman return a "long shot" as of Saturday.

As the start of spring training gets closer without Alex Bregman being signed, the possibility of him returning to the Houston Astros are looking a little better than when iit appeared the team moved on.

General manager Dana Brown told reporters on Saturday during the team's fan fest that the door to extend Bregman is "cracked" open and the two sides have had talks.

"The interesting thing is when we made some trades and some moves this offseason, we never realized that Bregman would still be on the market at this time," Brown said. "We've had some conversation and I could kind of leave it there, but we've had some conversations."

The Astros seemed to pivot from Bregman earlier in the offseason when they traded Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs. Their return in that deal included Isaac Paredes, whose primary position is third base.

It's unclear if Houston has changed its initial offer to Bregman. MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reported on Dec. 5 the Astros proposal was "worth around" $156 million over six years.

At the time, it seemed like that was an attempt by the Astros to say they offered Bregman the richest contract in franchise history while knowing he wouldn't take it because McTaggart noted he was seeking $200 million.

There have been several teams that have shown interest in Bregman, but apparently none willing to go as far with a contract offer as he would like. The Detroit Tigers were once considered a popular landing spot to reunite with former Astros manager A.J. Hinch, yet there's no indication they are aggressively pursuing him.

The Cubs have entered the race for Bregman, but their interest is impacted by having a limited budget left to spend on the roster for 2025.

Per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, the Boston Red Sox have "remained engaged" with Bregman's camp but they don't appear interested in a deal longer than four years.

Speier noted there are "at least three teams" that offered Bregman deals of at least five years this offseason.

With the majority of the league holding their first workouts on Feb. 12 and 13, Bregman figures to make a decision by then to ensure he can get a full spring training with his team.

The Astros know better than anyone what a difference Bregman can make in the lineup and as a defender.

Since making his MLB debut in 2016, Bregman ranks third among all third baseman with 32.8 FanGraphs' wins above replacement. José Ramírez (43.4) and Nolan Arenado (41.3) are the only players at the hot corner who have been better than him at the position.

A two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, Bregman hit .260/.315/.453 with 26 homers in 145 games for the Astros in 2024.