"Where is Alex Bregman?"; "Worst outfield in MLB" - Fans react to Astros' potential 2025 lineup ft. Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker
The Houston Astros could have a different-looking lineup next season, according to a projection by FOX Sports.
It posted the projected Astros lineup on its X account, featuring newly-signed Christian Walker hitting in the cleanup spot behind Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve leading off.
However, fans weren’t impressed with the potential Houston lineup, particularly with fan favorites leaving the team. Here are some reactions.
“Where is Alex Bregman?” a fan tweeted.
“What were they thinking trading Tucker?” another fan wrote.
“They had Tucker and Bregman lol Paredes is garbage,” a fan said.
Others questioned the skill in the outfield. They made their opinions known about the lack of star power in the Astros’ outfield.
“Worst outfield in MLB,” a fan wrote.
“That outfield needs an upgrade now,” another fan said.
“Outfield is an issue … period,” a fan commented.
Houston will have the rest of the winter to figure out its roster. With several interesting outfield options available, the club could find suitable replacements for departed bats this offseason.
Walker signing means Bregman gone from Astros
An article from The Athletic published on Friday discussed the likelihood of Alex Bregman not returning to the Houston Astros.
The piece argued that Christian Walker’s signing would likely be the last major addition for Houston this offseason. It focused on the Astros being $4 million under the luxury tax threshold.
The club will likely round out its roster with cheaper deals to avoid paying the luxury tax penalty.
Moreover, the reported trade Houston had in place to bring Nolan Arenado from the St. Louis Cardinals was another clear indication that it was moving on from Bregman.
However, Arenado nixed the deal to the Astros, invoking his no-trade clause. That prompted Houston to sign Walker, leaving Isaac Paredes to fill in for Bregman at third base.
Lastly, there is the issue of Astros owner Jim Crane being reluctant to splurge on big-money deals. While he has dished out hefty contracts to players like Altuve, Alvarez and Bregman in the past, Crane is reportedly unwilling to pay Bregman what he seeks this time around.
The Athletic reported that Houston had offered Bregman a six-year deal in the neighborhood of $156 million. However, it seems that Bregman's camp believes he can fetch more on the open market.
While it's not final that Bregman won't return to the Astros, the star third baseman will likely get paid elsewhere.
There is still plenty of time left in the offseason and it will be interesting to see how things unfold for Houston between now and the start of Spring Training.