It sure sounds like the Astros might be about to trade one of their best players

Every offseason is important, but the 2024 offseason feels as if it holds more weight than others for the Houston Astros. First of all, the team wrapped up its worst season since 2016, finishing with 88 wins (their fewest in a 162-game season since 2016) and failing to win a single postseason game. They were swept in the Wild Card Series and failed to make an ALCS appearance for the first time since 2016.

Second of all, Alex Bregman, a constant in Houston's dominant run for most of the last decade, is a free agent. The Astros would like to bring him back, obviously, but it'll be costly considering the player Bregman was and is, as well as the lack of alternatives in free agency at the hot corner.

With Houston already dealing with a high payroll, bringing Bregman back might be difficult financially, barring a cutting of costs elsewhere. Chandler Rome of The Athletic (subscription required) made it seem as if the team could look to move one of its best players to make room financially for Bregman.

"Making either Kyle Tucker or Framber Valdez available in trade discussions may be the easiest path for Houston to balance its present and future. Both men are estimated to make more than $15 million in their final trip through the arbitration process. Next winter, both will demand the sort of free-agent deals Crane is loath to give," Rome wrote.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Astros are considering making a massive mistake to bring Alex Bregman back

Trading either Kyle Tucker or Framber Valdez would help stomach the cost of bringing Bregman back immensely. They're both expected to make a ton in their last year of arbitration, and will fetch massive nine-figure deals in free agency. Considering the fact that the largest free agency deal owner Jim Crane has ever handed out was the five-year $95 million deal to Josh Hader last offseason, it's unrealistic to expect him to pay Bregman, Tucker, and Valdez, on top of the contracts Houston is already locked into.

With that being said, though, is trading Tucker or Valdez just to bring Bregman back worthwhile?

Look, I get it - Bregman is an Astros legend. He played an instrumental role in both of Houston's World Series wins. Even now, he's still an above-average third baseman. However, is Bregman better than Tucker or Valdez right now? Will Bregman be better than Tucker or Valdez long-term? These are questions worth asking.

Bregman - while he finished strongly - posted a career-low .768 OPS this season. He's still a good hitter and an elite defender at the hot corner, but he's also 30 years old. Do the Astros really want to give a 30-year-old coming off his worst season the largest free agency contract in the Jim Crane tenure?

Tucker is one of baseball's best outfielders and happens to be just 27 years old. Sure, he'd cost a lot more than Bregman, but he's also a whole lot better than Bregman. Framber Valdez has had his hiccups in October recently, but he's been the ace of this Houston staff for years now and is one of the best and most consistent pitchers in the American League. Do the Astros want to let him go without a suitable replacement?

Now, the Astros can certainly get a lot in a trade for Tucker or Valdez, but their team would be worse, at least in 2025. Plus, with both Tucker and Valdez in their final year of club control, their return would be limited to an extent.

Re-signing Bregman should be at the top of the priority list, and having all three of these players long-term would be the most ideal outcome, but if the Astros can only have two of Bregman, Tucker, and Valdez, the third baseman should be the odd-man out. Hopefully, game-changing players like Tucker or Valdez aren't traded just to bring Bregman back.