Following the Astros meeting with the media on Tuesday, where GM Dana Brown made it seem like the team had already moved on from Alex Bregman, we received some interesting news on the free agency front.

Pete Alonso (who shares the same agent as Bregman) agreed to a much shorter contract than many expected. Alonso elected to return to the Mets on a two-year prove-it deal.

Which had many wondering if Bregman would do something similar. However, Bob Nightengale reported that despite the Alonso news, Bregman is still seeking a six or seven-year contract.

Which is curious because the only reported offer of six years, has come from the Astros. We're also hearing that the Cubs are very interested in Bregman, but aren't looking to commit to more than four years, with opt-outs.

If Bregman is indeed considering betting on himself and looking to take another stab at free agency in 2026, the Cubs sound like a poor choice.

ESPN's “Hembo” made a convincing case that a right-handed hitter specializing in hitting doubles couldn't play in a worse ballpark than Wrigley Field, according to Baseball Savant. Bregman no longer has the fly ball potency he once had, and Wrigley doesn't have a short porch in left field like in Houston.

According to the analytics, Bregman would be way better served playing in Toronto or Boston. Two environments much better suited for his swing if he's looking to boost his value for 2026.

Altuve playing the field

Although the Astros didn’t sign any infielders in free agency, it seems they still plan to have him log some time in left field. Which got me thinking. Perhaps the Astros would like to use Mauricio Dubon at second base when their two elite ground ball pitchers (Framer Valdez, Hunter Brown) are taking the hill. This would keep Altuve and Yordan Alvarez's bats in the lineup, with a better defensive option at second base.

Outfield depth acquired

We certainly don't expect to see Altuve play exclusively in left field, so they had to add to the position. This week, Houston decided to bring Ben Gamel back on a one-year deal.

Pitching infusion

GM Dana Brown shared an update on the health of Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia this week, and was very excited about the progress McCullers is making, now throwing off a mound and touching 90mph.

Manager Joe Espada said he didn't want to commit on what role McCullers would have, leaving the door open for him to be used out of the bullpen.

Which caught our attention, as it sounds a little scary asking McCullers to quickly warmup, and enter a game in relief considering his history of arm issues.

We feel it's more likely they wouldn't ask him to come in with traffic on the bases. Perhaps he would be used to piggyback a starter for a couple of innings. Which would allow them to let him know ahead of time how he would be used that day. Thus, giving him ample time to get loose.

The news about Garcia wasn't nearly as positive, he's still throwing off flat ground, with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in a week.

The team is also not ruling out the return of Cristian Javier late in the season, after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. But that seems a little over ambitious to us based on how slowly McCullers and Garcia have taken to heal.

We believe it's more likely the Astros are planning on letting Framber Valdez walk in free agency, and banking on Hunter Brown and Javier to be the two-headed monster at the top of the rotation in 2026. Rushing Javier back, who they've already paid big money to, doesn't sound like a wise move when looking at the big picture.

This is one video you don't want to miss as we discuss the latest Bregman developments, Altuve playing left field several times a week, what a healthy McCullers would mean for the rotation, and much more!

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