3 Astros who won’t be back in 2026 if the team re-signs Alex Bregman

When the Houston Astros acquired Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker trade, it felt as if the Alex Bregman era in Houston was probably over. When they signed Christian Walker soon after, it felt almost certain that Bregman was going to wear another uniform for the first time beginning in the 2025 season.

Over one month has gone by since these additions were made, and yet, Bregman remains on the open market. The lack of aggressive suitors has made it to the point where the Astros, somehow, remain in the hunt to bring him back. It will take some gymnastics to fit him in, including moving Jose Altuve to the outfield, but the Astros, obviously, would be better off with their star third baseman in the mix.

If the Astros do the unthinkable and re-sign Bregman after how this offseason unfolded, it will almost certainly result in these three departures ahead of the 2026 campaign.

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3) Victor Caratini will find more money elsewhere if the Astros re-sign Alex Bregman

The Astros, underratedly, have one of the best catcher duos in the game. Yainer Diaz looks like one of the best catchers in the league already, and Victor Caratini is as underrated of a backup as there is. He was so productive this past season, in fact, to the point where he saw time behind the plate, at first base, and at DH.

Caratini slashed .269/.336/.408 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 87 games, 66 of which he started. In addition to his 113 OPS+ at the plate, the switch-hitting catcher also is a strong defender behind the plate.

In an ideal world, the Astros would bring him back after his contract runs out at the end of the 2025 campaign, but if Bregman returns, money will be tight. Chances are, Caratini will earn more playing time and money than the Astros would be willing to give him.

2) The Astros will try to find a taker for Lance McCullers Jr. if they re-sign Alex Bregman

Ahead of the 2021 season, Lance McCullers Jr. signed a five-year, $85 million extension to remain with the Astros through the 2026 campaign. At the time of the deal, this made a lot of sense. McCullers had established himself as a reliable arm in the middle of Houston's rotation. The first year of McCullers' deal was a resounding success, but ever since, he has struggled to stay on the field.

The 31-year-old made just eight starts in the 2022 regular season and three more in the 2022 postseason. He has not taken the mound in an MLB game since. He has missed each of the last two full seasons due to injury, and is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day this season either.

Assuming he does return at some point and pitches to his capability, the Astros will have an interesting decision on their hands. On one hand, McCullers is a solid arm when healthy. On the other hand, he'll be due $17 million in 2026 on a team that could be strapped for cash and it's not as if the Astros need him.

Houston will have Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Ronel Blanco, Luis Garcia, Spencer Arrighetti, J.P. France, and Hayden Wesneski on their roster as starting pitching options. Instead of paying McCullers that $17 million, Houston can shed some payroll, allowing them to comfortably keep Bregman in the mix and, potentially, upgrade in other areas of need.

1) Alex Bregman re-signing likely means Framber Valdez's days in Houston are numbered

Here's the big one. If the Astros re-sign Alex Bregman, how likely is it that they keep Framber Valdez around as well? An argument can be made that Valdez, a bonafide ace, is the more important player to keep, but Jim Crane has made it abundantly clear that he's only willing to spend up to a certain extent. If they pay up for Bregman, that probably means letting Valdez walk.

This would be a big blow for Houston, as Valdez has emerged as the team's unquestioned ace in the last couple of years. This past season saw him post a 2.91 ERA in 28 starts and 176.1 innings of work. He has finished in the top 10 of the AL Cy Young balloting in each of the last three years, and in the top 11 in four of the last five. He's been one of the best pitchers in the American League since becoming a full-time starter in Houston's rotation, with some memorable postseason moments as well.

Letting him go would be tough, but we've seen Houston let several of its stars depart either in free agency or trade, from George Springer to Carlos Correa to Kyle Tucker and even to Justin Verlander twice. They seemed to be prepared to do the same with Bregman before his market stalled.

Valdez is set to hit free agency after the 2025 campaign, and if he has another great year, he's going to look to cash in. If Bregman is back, there's a good chance Valdez won't be, with Houston tapped out of his price range. Fortunately, the Astros might have the pitching to survive even without him.