Spring games, that is! https://t.co/yKaVHjNmCK

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 24, 2025

Astros get 12 games with ABS

So if we do get rid of Peredes… we traded away an MVP candidate in Tucker for a prospect who may or may not live up to hype

Yeah I don't think that's in the cards.

But in your scenario you're not factoring in what they could get for Parades.

Ag_07 said:

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Yeah I don't think that's in the cards.

But in your scenario you're not factoring in what they could get for Parades.

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The market right now is shrinking. I'm not sure what you could really get this late in the offseason in terms of ready to impact this year type of players. Prospects are always so hit or miss.

I'd rather keep Peredes, sign Bregman and then trade Pressly.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Astros and Cubs are believed showing significant interest in Alex Bregman, with Tigers and Red Sox among others involved. His longtime Astros team, also engaged at the start of winter, want him enough they may move Paredes to 2B and Altuve to LF to accommodate.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 24, 2025

So Astros, Cubs, Tigers, and Red Sox. Cubs won't spend big, nor will the Tigers. Red Sox have division between Cora and the ownership / GM and they don't want to spend big. Astros are in a decent position if they want him.

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Just based on age alone I'd rather see Paredes get PT
In LF and let Bregs stay at 3rd with Altuve at 2nd. And I have zero clue about Paredes's speed or experience there.

I do love his "pressure is a privilege" mindset though!

He's actually been working out with some of the other guys at MMP/Daikin fwiw

Chandler is on foul territory, just said Detroit is in on Pressley too. Bregman market might start to "crystalize" potentially this weekend.

Sources: Ryan Pressly weighing options while Astros and Cubs also pursue Alex Bregman. With @sahadevsharma and @PJ_Mooney - https://t.co/gF94mt9Zuj

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) January 24, 2025

Quote:

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While the Cubs are trying to be opportunistic and get creative on a Bregman deal, sources indicated their current budget for baseball operations does not leave much room for the All-Star third baseman. Like the Astros, the Cubs have an ownership group that is reluctant to go over the $241 million luxury-tax threshold.

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I'm curious and maybe 2015 or someone else can answer but in a situation like Pressly's are he and/or his agent in direct contact with the Cubs? Or because he's under contract with the Astros and not a FA it's all handled through the Astros?

Like are the Cubs pitching to him directly on why they think he should waive his NTC to join them?

There is no realistic way to make room for Bregman and stay under the cap without doing 22 M, maybe even lower.

Here is our expected CBT Payroll: $243,842,334

If we trade the full salary of Pressly and Caratini it puts us at 223 M. That would leave only <18 M to sign Bregman. We'd need to move Dubon's 5 M and then we could afford 22 M (more like 20 M to have a tiny bit of wiggle room). But that present another problem, we do not have anyone else on the roster who can back up Pena. I don't think Dezenzo, Whitcomb, or Leon could do the job. Matthews isn't ready. We'd have to trade or sign a back up. Even if you go super cheap for someone like Nick Ahmed (+ defender), Luis Guillorme, or Ildemaro Vargas they'll put you over the tax threshold again.

The only option to get truly get under means moving Altuve, Walker, Hader, Valdez, McCullers, Alvarez, or Javier. That isn't going to happen. Or should not happen to make room for Bregman. Crane will need to pay the tax if he wants him back.

I think it is a given at this point that IF (big IF) Crane approves the signing of Bregman, it means we are going over the tax again.

If it is only a small crossing over, then you can easily reset next season when Abreu, Montero, and Framber all come off the books.

The LA Deferrals at it again

Tanner Scott
Dodgers

$61,678,119/4 Plus option

Signing Bonus - $20M

$11M, $5.25M deferred - 2025, 2026
$15M, $5.25 deferred - 2027, 2028

Club option 2029 for $5M if player has a qualifying injury and has not been traded.

Plus in 2029: incentives
Plus:  $3M if traded (once)

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 24, 2025

The crazy dream scenario is if Crane bites the bullet and agrees to cross the tax line to resign Bregman, that we make a value signing in Verdugo as well. Then you might indeed be the true favorites in the AL again with this lineup paired with our rotation:

Altuve 2B
Bregman 3B
Alvarez DH
Paredes LF
Walker 1B
Diaz C
Verdugo RF
McCormick CF
Peña SS

In this scenario, you play Meyers/Dubon in place of Verdugo against LHP, and Paredes splits time between LF and 2B, allowing Altuve to DH in games where Yordan plays LF.

SpaceCityAg05 said:

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I think it is a given at this point that IF (big IF) Crane approves the signing of Bregman, it means we are going over the tax again.

If it is only a small crossing over, then you can easily reset next season when Abreu, Montero, and Framber all come off the books.

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We should be able to drop around 35-40 M. That would be the time to add one key FA and then extend our own.

The Astros’ players scheduled to be at the team’s FanFest tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/rBb6oDKa7t

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) January 24, 2025

Could Jose Altuve move to left field if the @Astros bring back Alex Bregman? @Chandler_Rome weighs in 🚀 pic.twitter.com/oih7yQNFsE

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 24, 2025

"This is why they have been aggressively shopping Ryan Pressly"@Chandler_Rome breaks down the @Astros luxury tax trepidation. pic.twitter.com/xnEnDYntxz

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 24, 2025

Verdugo means you start to near the 2nd tax level.

Right. It is always easy to spend someone else's money, but that is why it has been a no-brainer for me for us to cross the tax to do what is needed this offseason with the intention to reset next offseason.

Crossing the CBT level into tier 1 or worse tier 2 is not just money. It carries a loss of picks and I think a loss of international money.

If not Verdugo, we should at least resign Heyward, who ought to be dirt cheap at this point.

But Verdugo looks obtainable to me at 7M AAV.

But its not just about spend, its about "repeater" status. The real penalties only rack up when you stay over the threshold for several seasons without resetting.

The biggest penalty is getting worse comp picks for departing FA with QOs attached, which in our case, would be Framber next offseason, like it is potentially with Bregman this year.

Correct. Doing it twice in a row is worse than just once.