The moment New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo struck out to end the 2024 World Series, eligible players all around MLB instantly became free agents. Since that moment on Oct. 31, some of the most wide-ranging and intense speculation about where he would end up has centered around Houston Astros two-time World Series-winning, two-time All-Star Alex Bregman.

Various prognostications claimed the first-time free agent would “betray” the Astros by jumping to the Detroit Tigers, or the Boston Red Sox. Even the Los Angeles Dodgers – the team whose projected $367 million payroll will be the highest in baseball – were put forward as a possible Bregman suitor despite having already spent $371.5 million on free agents over 18 years of contract commitments this offseason, according to totals compiled by Spotrac.

Now, after all of the rumors, reports and speculation, Bregman may simply return to the Astros after all. At least, that is what one leading MLB insider journalist with more than three decades of experience predicted Saturday night, speaking at the 100th Annual New York Baseball Writers Dinner.

“If I had to bet right now, I would bet the Astros in this negotiation,” said Fox Sports baseball reporter Ken Rosenthal. “They’ve made their offer. It was six years, $156 million. (Astros owner) Jim Crane offered that to Bregman. But if they come up a little bit, and he doesn’t really have anything that he likes as much … again, it’s where do you want to play?”

The Red Sox “remained engaged” on Bregman, according to The Boston Globe baseball reporter Alex Speier, but “the team’s interest had been in a deal of no more than four years.” Bregman has offers of five years or more from at least two other teams plus the Astros, according to a report by Houston baseball reporter Ali Alexander of KPRC TV. Alexander also reported Friday that the Astros’ original offer, as cited by Rosenthal, was still good if Bregman decided to cash it in.