PHOTO: Alex Bregman's son Knox reunites with Gerrit Cole's little slugger Caden at spring training game
Though the two men have met divergent fates this spring, the families of Alex Bregman and Gerrit Cole do not seem to be phased by the fact that the regular season is now upon us.
In a recent flurry of pictures posted to the account of Bregman's wife, Reagan, Bregman's one-year old son Knox had a chance to catch up with Caden Cole who was accompanied by his mother, Amy. Caden is the son of Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole.
The two proud mothers were at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, to watch Alex Bregman's Astros take on the St. Louis Cardinals. Though Gerrit Cole was not playing, Bregman went 1-for-3 on the afternoon, with a run scored.
In 2023, Bregman put forth an impressive season, hitting .262/.363/.441 with 25 home runs and 98 RBIs. The 29-year-old has only appeared in nine games this spring for the Houston Astros. While his .261 average and solitary RBI have not turned heads, Bregman's preseason has been immeasurably better than that of Gerrit Cole.
"Houston, we have liftoff! Alex Bregman homers in the first! FS1" - FOX Sports: MLB
After going 15-4, along with a 2.63 ERA last season to win the Cy Young Award, New York Yankees fans received dreaded news about Gerrit Cole earlier this month.
On account of elbow issues, the starter will miss the first month or two of the season. While this ensures that Cole will have the chance to spend more time with Amy and Caden, it invites a host of doubts about the pitching viabilities of the Yankees, as the team grapples with its rotation ahead of opening day.
Alex Bregman aims to make an impact ahead of contract season
At the end of the 2024 season, Alex Bregman will see the expiration of his five-year, $100 million contract. As such, the New Mexico-born third baseman needs to prove that he can still be counted on as a supreme part of his team's offense. Last month, Astros GM Dana Brown revealed that talks have yet to get underway, telling SportsTalk 790:
"At some point, we'll come up with some type of offer. But right now, we are not engaged in an offer"
While some trepidation apparently exists, another dominant season off of Bregman's bat is likely to massage his team toward a more firm stance.