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 on Saturday he would be willing to change positions to accommodate the return of Alex Bregman, one of the top MLB free agents remaining on the board. 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 overall free agent, has been seen as a long shot 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 the team has re-engaged the third baseman.
Bregman coming back at this point would be a bit awkward because Houston has clearly conducted its offseason under the assumption that he was leaving. It traded star outfielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and got back infielder Isaac Paredes, who has played the strong majority of his games at third base.
The Astros also filled up 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 played second base as well in his career, and that's where the potential Altuve position change comes in. The Astros are lacking in 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 their 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 he so far hasn't received the deal he clearly wants, it seems possible he takes a short-term deal similar to what Matt Chapman did last year.
Bregman has played nine season with the Astros, accruing two All-Star nods, a Gold Glove, a Silver Slugger and two World Series rings. If this really is it for him and Houston, he will join a long procession of players leaving the organization over the last four years, including Carlos Correa, George Springer and Gerrit Cole.
