Bregman gets qualifying offer from Astros

HOUSTON -- As expected, third baseman Alex Bregman was one of a handful of players to receive a qualifying offer Monday. Bregman was the only player given a qualifying offer by the Astros, who are expected to try to retain one of their cornerstone players as he hits free agency for the first time.

Bregman, who was named Sunday as the American League winner of the Rawlings Gold Glove at third base, has until 3 p.m. CT on Nov. 19 to accept or reject the offer of $21.05 million for next season. Bregman is pretty much a lock to reject the offer, which means the Astros will get Draft pick compensation if he signs with another team.

The Astros can still re-sign Bregman even if he rejects the offer, but he’s now free to negotiate with any team in baseball, including Houston. Bregman hits the market for the first time as one of the top free agents available. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Monday from San Antonio, the site of the General Managers Meetings, that he’s been in contact with agent Scott Boras about a potential Bregman deal.

Last year, all seven players who received the offer declined it. Since 2012, only 10 percent of offers (13 of 131) have been accepted, including outfielder Colby Rasmus accepting an offer from the Astros after the 2015 season. Josh Hader rejected the Padres’ qualifying offer last year and wound up signing with the Astros.

Bregman, a mainstay on both the Astros’ World Series championship teams (2017 and 2022), slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 homers and 75 RBIs last season, including an .838 OPS from May 9 to the end of the season. He won his first Gold Glove as the top defensive third baseman in the AL.

Taken by the Astros with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft out of LSU, Bregman made his Major League debut a year later and advanced to the AL Championship Series in each of his first seven full seasons. That streak ended with this year’s loss to the Tigers in the AL Wild Card Series.

“I came here when I was 21 years old, made my debut against the Yankees and been to the ALCS every year except this one,” Bregman said after the Astros were eliminated. “It’s been a fun time, and I’ve cherished every second of that. It’s been an honor to be here, and I definitely don’t take it for granted.”

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, who signed a contract prior to last season to remain in Houston for the remainder of his career, publicly pleaded for the team to re-sign Bregman at the end of the season.

“Since the day he got here, the whole organization changed in a better direction,” Altuve said. “He made this team way better. Like I said, there is hopefully a big chance for him to stay here, and not only that, but retire here.”

On the Astros' all-time hitting charts, Bregman ranks sixth in homers (191), seventh in doubles (265), eighth in runs (694), ninth in RBIs (663) and 11th in hits (1,132). His 19 career postseason homers are tied for the sixth most all time.