How likely are the Houston Astros to trade and re-sign Alex Bregman?

Third baseman Alex Bregman, like his team, the Houston Astros, is having an unremarkable season.

His 74 OPS+ is 26 points below the MLB average and 58 points below his career average. Is it just an incident or a slump? Or could this be a sign of true decline for the 30-year-old who will test the free agent waters this winter?

Regardless, his performance has been a major factor in the Astros’ slow start to the 2024 MLB season and it’s hard not to notice. But perhaps a change of scenery for the former All-Star could be the key to restarting his season.

One idea floated by MLB insider Mark Feinsand is that Houston could trade Bregman before the MLB trade deadline and then re-sign him this winter.

For Bleacher Report, they put this idea high on the BS meter and we can’t help but agree. For multiple reasons.

Let’s start with the obvious. There is no indication that Houston has even considered this idea and next week it is very likely that this same expert will talk about how the Astros should be buyers, not sellers, at this year’s deadline.

The second is that Bregman has shown that he is a very good player and the Astros have already indicated that they have little motivation to sell, much less their prized third baseman who has become a face of the franchise.

Finally, it always sounds great in theory to trade a player and then come back and re-sign him this winter in free agency. In reality, this rarely works. In Bregman’s case, if he returns to form, Houston probably won’t want to match his price. This is the same player who couldn’t reach an extension deal with the Astros because of money.

If he doesn’t bounce back, why would Houston want to continue a long-term relationship with a declining player they just traded?

Overall, the likelihood of Feinsand’s fairy tale idea is just that: a fairy tale.