Alex Bregman has spent his entire nine-year career with the Houston Astros, establishing himself as one of MLB’s premier third basemen. Now he is one of the most coveted free agents this offseason and among the top infielders available.

Bregman will turn 31 on March 30 having amassed 39.6 rWAR (Baseball-Reference version) since his debut in 2016, or an average of 5.8 over 162 games for his career. He’s a two-time All-Star who won his first Gold Glove this season. His career batting line is .272/.366/.483 with 191 home runs and a 132 OPS+, indicating his total offense has been 32% better than the MLB average.

Even though he posted 4.1 rWAR in 2024, he didn’t put his best foot forward going into free agency. Whereas he used to have plate discipline that was nearly the best in baseball, he just about cut his walk rate in half this season. He walked 6.9% of the time this year, down from 12.7% in 2023. His career-best was 17.2% in 2019 when he led MLB with 119 free passes and finished a close second to Mike Trout for the MVP Award. This year, he walked only 44 times, and as a result, his 118 OPS+ was the lowest full-season mark of his career.

In spite of his concerning decrease in walks, MLB Trade Rumors ranked him the third-best overall free agent this offseason. They project he will sign a seven-year, $182 million contract. His agent also indicated he’s willing to move to second base, which expands his market.

The Astros gave him a qualifying offer, a one-year $21.05 million deal that will be a no-brainer for him to reject. If he signs anywhere other than Houston, the club will be eligible to receive draft-pick compensation. Here are some of the teams who could make a competitive offer for his services.

Houston Astros

Bregman is beloved in Houston where he won the World Series in 2017 and 2022. His absence weakens their lineup significantly, and their internal replacement aren’t battle-tested. They would most likely rely on rookies Zach Dezenzo and Shay Whitcomb who have a combined 111 career plate appearances.

The Astros would love to retain Bregman, but they’ll have stiff competition around the league. General manager Dana Brown hinted that they may have payroll constraints which would make it difficult to make a significant outlay for him. They were over the competitive balance tax threshold last season, and if getting under it is a priority, they’ll have to make some difficult choices that probably include finding a new third baseman.

New York Yankees

The Yankees are the highest-profile team in need of an infielder. They traded for Jazz Chisholm midseason who can cover either second or third base, but starting second baseman Gleyber Torres is unlikely to return. The club received little production from their lineup aside from Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, and while re-signing Soto is the top priority, Bregman could be their second-best option.

There is a potentially significant obstacle to bringing Bregman to The Bronx. He was part of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017, and Yankees fans haven’t forgiven or forgotten. The Astros defeated the Yankees in seven games in the 2017 ALCS to advance to the World Series, which they subsequently won.

New York Mets

As always, the Mets are poised to spend big this offseason. Their current third baseman is Mark Vientos, who actually out-hit Bregman last year in his first full season. He batted .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs and a 135 OPS+ in 111 games, but his defense was barely playable. If they bring in Bregman, Vientos would move over to first base.

Bregman would be a Plan C for the Mets. Much like the Yankees, their top target is Soto. They could also look to reunite with first baseman Pete Alonso, which would prohibit them from signing a third baseman and moving Vientos to first.

Seattle Mariners

The Mariners made several attempts to upgrade their lineup last season, but most of them fell flat as they failed to get back to the postseason. Mitch Garver, Mitch Haniger, Jorge Polanco, and Justin Turner couldn’t provide the thump they needed. Their .376 slugging percentage was 25th in MLB, and all of the teams below them finished below .500.

Veteran utility players Josh Rojas and Dylan Moore are penciled in as the starters as second base and third base. Both of them are cromulent players, but neither would would preclude the team from adding a reliable power bat like Bregman’s.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays were expected to contend for the playoffs in 2024. Instead, they finished last in the AL East with a 74-88 record. Despite 30 home runs from Vladimir Guerrero Jr., they only amassed 156 dingers as a team, which was 26th in MLB. They’ll most likely be competitive for Soto as well.

Toronto has a number of players with nebulous defensive homes who factor into the second base/third base mix, including Ernie Clement, Spencer Horwitz, and Davis Schneider. There are plenty of holes in their lineup though, and they can move to second base, left field, and designated hitter to make room for Bregman.